END RUN AROUND REAL ID

RTR Libertyville, IL - Under the guise of protecting seniors and our national security, Congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois 10th District and Peter Roskam of the 6th District are setting the wheels in motion for another crack at a national ID card.  The “Social Security Identity Theft Prevention Act” (H.R. 5405) more appropriately titled the “Social Security Surveillance Act” was likely spurred by high opposition to the failing Real ID Act.  This act would be an adequate run around to implement Real ID yet in another form.  They claim their reasons for introducing this act is to curb the high rate of identity theft in Northern Illinois.

The surveillance features of the card include: a digital image displayed of the card holder on the surface of the card and an "encrypted, machine-readable electronic record which shall include records of biometric identifiers unique to the individual to whom the card is issued, including a copy of any digitized facial image printed on the face of the card."

At a recent Libertyville, Illinois Town Hall Meeting on Saturday March 1st, 2008, Congressman Kirk explained to a packed room of concerned residents that participation is optional.  Gary Franchi, managing editor of Republic Magazine, a political publication that advocates constitutional rights and limited government, asked Kirk during the Q and A session when the "optional" card would become mandatory.  Kirk responded that the bill had not left the house yet.  Not quite the answer found when reading the text H.R. 5405.

Massive new biometric databases of every American will be created to assist in tracking and authenticating the new SSS card.  The US Government has a tarnished record of managing databases.  The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs lost a laptop and external hard drive to thieves jeopardizing the identities of 26.5 million veterans. The Metropolitan State College in Denver, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Los Angeles' Department of Social Services have each fallen victim to their databases being plundered.  Foreign intelligence hackers, high tech terrorists, and identity thieves would have a one-stop-shop of every American in a Social Security database no longer just rich in numbers, but now biometric data.

When asked by Franchi about private firms controlling and tracking the databases Kirk pushed the responsibility of management to the Social Security Administration.  However, as with Real ID, private companies like Viisage were contracted with to maintain the Real ID infrastructure.  This will likely be the case with the Social Security Surveillance Card unless the bill is stopped.  The bill is set to take effect two years from enactment, yet it is currently in the house, and has yet to be voted on.

A proponent, of the new SSS card, asked Kirk, “Can you share what information’s on there that’s freaking everybody out about a national ID card, what’s being stored on there that the Government doesn’t already know?”

Standard operating procedure is in effect here.  Using fear tactics on uninformed senior citizens, and the usual excuse of national security in a post 9/11 world, another member of the DC boys club is attempting to slip a national ID card into the hands of a terrified populous.  This is another attempt to ratchet down the American people into a coded world of control where being asked for “your papers” is as common as the next tasing video.   However, Kirk and Roskam have failed to consider the ever increasing masses of freedom loving Americans who are dusting off their constitutions and putting the shackles back on our public servants. 

Please contact your Congressman and instruct them to NOT support this bill.