June 16, 2009

Still Alive And Kicking

The entire REAL ID issue has been remarkably quite for quite some time, but now it's rearing its ugly head once more. The powers that be, headed by Janet Napolitano at DHS are re-crafting and re-branding REAL ID.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano wants to repeal and replace the controversial, $4 billion domestic security initiative known as Real ID, which calls for placing more secure licenses in the hands of 245 million Americans by 2017. The new proposal, called Pass ID, would be cheaper, less rigorous and partly funded by federal grants, according to draft legislation that Napolitano's Senate allies plan to introduce as early as tomorrow.

The rebranding effort follows months of talks with the National Governors Association and poses political risk for Obama as well as Napolitano, a former NGA chairwoman who wants to soothe strained relations with the states without appearing to retreat on a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission.
Make no mistake. This is still REAL ID, regardless of what they would have us believe. It's still alive and kicking and ready to be imposed upon us.

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