A House Committee voted overwhelmingly on Friday to join over 20 other states in refusing to participate in the Read ID Act. This act was signed by George W. Bush in 2005, with an implementation deadline of 2010, that would require all state DMV’s to transform state drivers’ licenses into national ID’s which would store all person’s data in a national database.
Not only do Legislators across the country in various states feel this is a degradation of freedom, but it would also cost millions of dollars to implement.
"Real ID has the potential to be one of the most destructive things to freedom this country has ever seen," said Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman.
On a local level, the act would also require Utah to spend $2 million to $4 million, money that could be better spent on education or human services in this damaged economy, said Rep. Jen Seelig, D-Salt Lake City.
However, defying Homeland Security comes with consequences.
If the federal government decides to implement the act in 2010, as scheduled, no Utahn will be able to board an airplane without the national ID. Rep. David Litvack expressed concern that Washington also might withhold its federal funding so long as Utah refuses to obey, or ask the state to return the $1.8 million in federal grants it received to create national IDs and the centralized database.
So, that’s like sanctions, right? Oh yes, that’s right – the U.S. Government always resorts to imposing sanctions when it doesn’t get what it wants.
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