Can the federal government mandate me to get a federal ID?

[her209]

In the immigration reform bill, they are considering a federal ID that every American will need to get that will include biometric information that will be used, I assume, to verify their identity when hiring, voting, etc.

 

[First]

Driver's license. SS card. Passport.

Yes.

 

[Daedalus685]

You mean you haven't gotten your card in the mail that includes all the information the gov already has on your fingerprints, bloodtype, etc. ?

 

[spidey07]

Driver's license. SS card. Passport.

Yes.

Nobody is mandated or forced to have any of those. BIG difference.

her209, I don't think they can force you to get the ID. But if you refuse you lose all the federal handouts/goody bags of free healthcare.

 

[First]

Nobody is mandated or forced to have any of those. BIG difference.

If you drive a car you are in fact forced to, there is no substantial difference. And if you don't have an SS card it's quite literally impossible to find well-paying work.

 

[halik]

Ssoc number/card; need it to file taxes /thread

 

[FuzzyBee]

If you drive a car you are in fact forced to, there is no substantial difference.

I would bet that there are large groups of people in cities like New York that have no driver's license.

 

[First]

I would bet that there are large groups of people in cities like New York that have no driver's license.

Right, against the law. There will always be law breakers.

 

[spidey07]

Right, against the law. There will always be law breakers.

Most people in NYC don't own cars or drive.

/WHOOSH

 

[Daedalus685]

Right, against the law. There will always be law breakers.

I think he means they get around on public transport, not that they drive without a licence, though there are certainly a good number of them up here and likely in New York too.

I'm sure it would work like our various government IDs in Canada and likely in the USA currently... Can they force me to get one? No.. Would I give up a huge number of my favourite services (like the hospital and a car) if I chose not to have one... Yes.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Most people in NYC don't own cars or drive.

/WHOOSH

Most states have some form of non-driver ID cards. You are not required to have one but without one life becomes very difficult.

Frankly if a national ID card was kept simple and contained only info like; SSN, Name, DOB, a photo and a thumbprint and no RFID, it wouldn't be that bad. Plus a plastic card would be much more durable than the paper SSN cards that are given out now.

 

[EagleKeeper]

You do not need an ID card.

However, if you wish to utilize certain government services then you need to abide by the rules that are associated with those services.

 

[rudder]

Driver's license. SS card. Passport.

Yes.

hmmm drivers license... to operate a motor vehicle on public roads
SS card - issed by the government giving you a unique tax id and to be used by the social security administration. I am required to show it to no one other than those agencies.
Passport - if I wish to respect the laws of our nation and the nation I am visiting, I will need one. However, if I spend my whole life in the United States, I do not need one.

 

[CycloWizard]

Most states have some form of non-driver ID cards. You are not required to have one but without one life becomes very difficult.

Frankly if a national ID card was kept simple and contained only info like; SSN, Name, DOB, a photo and a thumbprint and no RFID, it wouldn't be that bad. Plus a plastic card would be much more durable than the paper SSN cards that are given out now.

Why does it need all of that information? Name, photo, and DOB are the only information that should ever be needed on this scale. Everything else is simply data mining for everyone that ever scans your ID. Does the grocery store need my SSN when I'm buying alcohol and they swipe my card, or are we just trying to find ways to promote identity theft?

 

[CrackRabbit]

Why does it need all of that information? Name, photo, and DOB are the only information that should ever be needed on this scale. Everything else is simply data mining for everyone that ever scans your ID. Does the grocery store need my SSN when I'm buying alcohol and they swipe my card, or are we just trying to find ways to promote identity theft?

Well if you think about it the card is going to have a number on it, the SSN number most Americans have would make the most sense to use.
Thumbprint would be a simple biometric that would be hard for identity thieves to copy.
I wouldn't want a national ID card to be used like state IDs or drivers licenses are used now. I would want a durable replacement for the SSN card, something that isn't used often but contains information to prove who you are.

 

[lupi]

Currently no, and very debatable if you will in the future. Not to mention the majority of items mentioned so far are either no federaly issued, are not an ID in the manner asked, or are not used/issued to most people.

 

[CycloWizard]

Well if you think about it the card is going to have a number on it, the SSN number most Americans have would make the most sense to use.
Thumbprint would be a simple biometric that would be hard for identity thieves to copy.
I wouldn't want a national ID card to be used like state IDs or drivers licenses are used now. I would want a durable replacement for the SSN card, something that isn't used often but contains information to prove who you are.

Having a unique ID# distinct from the SSN prevents one from mapping a name and DOB to the SSN without access to the linking information. This is one technique used in clinical trials to depersonalize information so that I can't use the information about a person to identify them. This would not prevent a legitimate user of the card from accessing your SSN using a single swipe of the card, as this information would presumably be mapped in a database on the back end.

 

[piasabird]

The federal government doesnt have to force you to get anything. All the federal government or state government has to do is deny people without a federal ID any goods or services.

You could need an ID to get a drivers license.
You could need an ID to ride any federally or partially federally funded Transportation.
You could need a Federal ID to get a job.
You could need a Federal ID to get foodstamps or SSN or Medical care.

You can choose to not use a Federal ID if you want.

 

[sportage]

Well I went to get a drivers license today and they made me get 666 tattooed on the back of my hand. Kinda weird? But looks a little trendy.

 

[shiner]

Your papers please!

 

[shiner]

Well I went to get a drivers license today and they made me get 666 tattooed on the back of my hand. Kinda weird? But looks a little trendy.

Is it at least in some ultra cool not douchebaggy at all tribal symbol?

 

[HannibalX]

The federal government doesnt have to force you to get anything. All the federal government or state government has to do is deny people without a federal ID any goods or services.

You could need an ID to get a drivers license.
You could need an ID to ride any federally or partially federally funded Transportation.
You could need a Federal ID to get a job.
You could need a Federal ID to get foodstamps or SSN or Medical care.

You can choose to not use a Federal ID if you want.

This is probably how it will be done as DLs and SS works the same way.

 

[spidey07]

Well I went to get a drivers license today and they made me get 666 tattooed on the back of my hand. Kinda weird? But looks a little trendy.

Mark of the Beast. Without this mark you can't trade goods or services.

 

[PeshakJang]

I recall the left arguing adamantly against any sort of forced ID card when it was suggested as a way to prevent voting fraud, saying that it was only a way to disenfranchise the working poor who honestly couldn't afford to take the time or money to go obtain one.

 

[JockoJohnson]

The federal government doesnt have to force you to get anything. All the federal government or state government has to do is deny people without a federal ID any goods or services.

You could need an ID to get a drivers license.
You could need an ID to ride any federally or partially federally funded Transportation.
You could need a Federal ID to get a job.
You could need a Federal ID to get foodstamps or SSN or Medical care.

You can choose to not use a Federal ID if you want.

I recall the left arguing adamantly against any sort of forced ID card when it was suggested as a way to prevent voting fraud, saying that it was only a way to disenfranchise the working poor who honestly couldn't afford to take the time or money to go obtain one.

You could need an ID to vote. (most important one of them all)
As long as these ID cards are free to obtain.