DHS proposes national drivers license

[plazul]

The Department of Homeland Security is floating the idea of a national drivers license. Most of the 911 terrorists had fraudulent licenses obtained through the Internet and elsewhere.

Currently, it's possible to lose your license in one state and obtain a new one in another. Also, state DMV's aren't very well connected so criminals with warrants from out of state sometimes slip away after a license check. And there's a huge problem with counterfeit licenses which enable illegals to get employment and blend into society.

Would you object to a national drivers license? I have no problem with the proposal because we already have federal Social Security cards. It would simplify law enforcement and make it more effective.

But it must be limited to a drivers license and not expanded to contain personal data bases.

[Bill Sikes]

Originally Posted by plazul

The Department of Homeland Security is floating the idea of a national drivers license. Most of the 911 terrorists had fraudulent licenses obtained through the Internet and elsewhere.

I'm very surprised that you don't have a national licence already!

Originally Posted by plazul

there's a huge problem with counterfeit licenses which enable illegals to get employment and blend into society..

Do your licences have photos. on them? A driving licence is often used in the
U.K. for ID, newer ones have photos. However, privacy concerns mean that
most people who use licences as a check can't check the validity of the licence
at the licencing authority, so there is some scope for abuse.

Originally Posted by plazul

Would you object to a national drivers license? I have no problem with the proposal because we already have federal Social Security cards. It would simplify law enforcement and make it more effective..

In some ways I'm for centralisation in that it works as in your latter sentence, BUT

Originally Posted by plazul

But it must be limited to a drivers license and not expanded to contain personal data bases.

This is always a risk. Centralisation leads to hard-to-resist demands for extra
data to be linked in.