[us_politics] Your Papers, Please

Strangely absent from the news today is the passage of a certain bill in Congress, HR 1268, Roll Call 161 of the 1st session of the 109th Congress. The title of this is "An act making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and for other purposes."

There is an amendment that will establish the first National ID Card system. Not in concept, but in fact.

Bluemnauer voted against it. All our other reps voted for it, because, hey, who wants to be seen as being against Tsunami Relief. My congressman is the only one with courage.

Shortly after 9/11, the White House stated was in no way interested in a National ID system, deeming it a dead issue. But now it looks as though the President will sign this. So to speak, he was against it, until he was for it. When John Kerry did this, it was a flip-flop. Of course, putting hanging unpopular amendments on good looking bills is okay now, I guess, as long as a Republican president is doing it.

If you're curious as to why you should be worried, read this ACLU press release, even if you don't think National ID is a bad idea or even if you disargree with the ACLU (who, by the way, was just cool to have along if you were Jerry Falwell protesting religious discrimination).