national id = totalitarian government, step 1

Please visit UnRealID.com right now, and contact your senators to stop this awful legislation from being passed as part of a "support the troops" bill, with no actual debate on the National ID portion.

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My comments:

Please don't let the "Real ID" National ID card bill become law. Yes, we must take steps to protect ourselves from those who would do us harm, but if we change American life in such substantial, restrictive ways to do so, then actually, the terrorists have already won.

This has always been a country where we have had the freedom and liberty to travel, and to enter federally funded public spaces. Taxpayers shouldn't be shut out of those buildings paid for by their own money. Furthermore, it pains me to imagine the world of hurt that travel restrictions will cause the many sectors of the nation's economy that are dependent on tourism. Airlines are already teetering on the verge of bankruptcy, some having entered it, and most of the rest considering it as an option. More restrictions might just be enough to push them over the edge, leading to either economic disaster or more taxpayer-funded bailouts.

Furthermore, merely proving *identity* can never prove *intent*, and terrorists can always obtain falsified documents, or recruit those who have a clean record and a supposed "good" identity to do their dirty work.

Please don't approve this dangerous legislation. At the very least, let's have an open, honest debate on the floor of the Senate for all to see and all to be on the record about their positions.
It's dishonest to slip in a freedom-destroying measure such as this along with an important bill to support our troops overseas.