The right-wing Bush administration slipped a "security measure" into a military expenditure bill which was passed by the US Senate yesterday. Naturally few Senators would be seen opposing a Bill which would benefit "our boys in Iraq"
The Bill authorises the US government to institute an internal passport reminiscent of the infamous "required papers" under the Nazi regime in Occupied Europe. It would be required by all US citizens for identification, superceding state drivers licences and any other existing methods of identification. Among other things it would have means of verifying the identity of the ID Card holder up to such things as photos,fingerprints, or retinal eye-scans. It would include such things as home address, phone number, and occupation.
Bill Gates is shown here in an example he volunteered for in a similar Belgian initiative.
Civil liberty organizations have reponded with consternation at the rapidly introduced and passed bill.
That's the way your liberty dies, not with a bang , but a whimper.
