http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/…

This somewhat cryptic blog post at Wired reflects the delight of Roger Clarke that the Australian national ID card has been dropped by the incoming government. Clarke wrote an article in 1994 that is probably fairly regarded as the foundation of identification theory. I expanded on his thinking in my book, Identity Crisis.

In related news, Montana Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester put language prohibiting the expenditure of federal funds for development of a national ID card in the omnibus spending bill Congress passed last week. Because the Department of Homeland Security denies that REAL ID is a national ID, this language is probably hortatory during the current administration.

This is great news for the Australians… now if we can get REAL ID thrown out here in the USA. The deadline for implementing it has been pushed back to 2013 and this prohibition of federal funds from being used to develop a national ID card will help. I believe the states will continue to fight this and some would probably put this new law to the test. I fail to see how the REAL ID is not a national ID given that the federal government is dictating how the states are to implement these new IDs. It may be handled by the states but the national government is the one strong arming them to do it.

Lets remember that Ron Paul is strongly against the REAL ID and voted against it.