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Maybe the U.S. needs some sort of formal national ID card?
I've never had occasion to get a passport, because I never travel outside the U.S. With the so-called war on terrorism showing no real end in sight, perhaps it's time for all Americans to be required to carry some sort of passport-like national ID card, or perhaps not?
This is an extremely touchy issue, which it shouldn't be, really, if you think about it. Many nations require "papers" or government issued identification for their citizens. In reality, whether we want to admit it or not, the Social Security cards Americans have/carry really have become a form of national ID. If you don't believe me, think about the last time you applied for any sort of job, or state and/or local documents, and DIDN'T have to furnish your Social Security card or number. Yeah, I know.
In a world where there is rampant terrorism, in a country where we are just about paranoid about terrorists and illegal aliens -- why shouldn't we require a national passport or national ID system of some sort?
Maybe the U.S. need some sort of formal national ID card now -- but probably not.
Why not? Mostly because such a system really won't be any more effective than present forms of identification. Simply put, a formal national ID card is a redundancy. It will become simply one more document for which we'll have to pay fees, one more document the "bad guys" will find a way to falsify for gain.
Tell me what you think about the matter.
Technorati Tags: national ID cards, national identification, Social Security cards, take time for living
