26 States being blackmailed into accepting the controversial Real ID HR418 Card.

Run_to_da_hills

H.R. 140 would withhold highway funds from states that don’t comply with the REAL HR 418 ID Act, a national ID law passed in 2005. REAL ID would require states to issue driver’s licenses and IDs to federal standards and comply with federal mandates about sharing their drivers’ data.

Over successive years, non-compliant states would receive less and less federal money until, perhaps, they would go bust. http://justgetthere.us/blog/archives/Bill-Seeks-To-Withhold-Highway-Funds-To-States-Who-Dont-Comply-With-Real-ID.html

HR140 Bill. http://justgetthere.us/blog/archives/H.-R.-140-Real-ID-Amendment-To-Withhold-Highway-Funds-To-State-For-Non-Compliance.html

Currently the controversial Real ID act has been opposed by 26 States on grounds of civil liberties. The card itself is RFID readable, it is the first nationalized ID card, it increases the treat of identity theft, enables routine track and trace of individuals, and will throw the United States deeper into an electronic surveillance society. http://www.unrealid.com/what.html

Real ID Today.

The federal REAL ID Act has inspired more than its share of controversy since its 2005 launch. Twenty-six states have flatly rejected it, and Arizona has even introduced a measure requiring state agencies to "report any attempts by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to force implementation." PT provides the definitive rundown across the country.

http://www.policytoday.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=239&Itemid=148

Manic Moran

So what's new? Threatening to withold highway funds is an old trick, from forcing all the States went to a 21-years-of-age minimum drinking requirement through the 55mph speed limit. Even the military recruiters on campus have been protected by threats to withold funds.

It's even made it to the Supreme Court, and been legally approved as a tactic.

However, here's the caveat. Last I checked, there were fifty States in the Union, each of which has two representatives in the Senate. If the States really did object so grievously to this, why did not their representatives squash the legislation to begin with? It can't be enforced without their go-ahead.

NTM

Black Swan

^Good points JWM!^

Add to it the US House of Representatives, where they can also take legislative action?

Manic Moran

Probably not. Most of the opposition seems to be coming from smaller States like Montana, Arkansas, Hawaii, Utah, Maine, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, Idaho, West Virginia, Missouri, Colorado, Georgia, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee... Illinois and Washington are in there as well, but generally they just don't have the clout in the House of Reps to oppose it.

But then, that's why the Senate is on a per-State basis, and not proportional to population.

NTM