Real Pain

“Real” Pain!

Professor DeCastro

Thomas Barreto

National Id Paper

October 24, 2007

Introduction

I am a huge baseball fan. From the time I was a young boy to my adulthood, I still follow the sport with vigor and passion.

Hook

The smell of hot dogs and popcorn at the park on game day, the electricity of the crowd and the fanfare of the people in the stands are all things I could not wait to share with my kids. After a quick check of our bags and a magnetic wand to make sure we were not carrying any weapons, thanks to the events of September 11th 2001, the ticket taker swiped our tickets and we were in the stadium.

Thesis Statement

I believe that implementing a National Identification card will actually hurt our national security by allowing easier access to sensitive personal information, an unwanted and heavy laden tax burden on the citizen’s of the country to fund the plan and it is an outright mugging of citizens’ rights to privacy.

Topic 1

The Real Id Act was put into law due to the lack of security leading to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11th 2001.

Fact

The Department of Homeland Security wants to implement the Real Id Act by the end of May 2008.

Expert Opinion

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer said about Real Id, “This is another federal mandate we’re not interested in (implementing) and paying for….how will you handle states that have said no, no, no way, and hell no?”

Topic 2

When it comes down to the financial aspect of implementing the Real Id Act, most states are against it or against parts of the Real Id as introduced by DHS.

Fact

According to the Maine Civil Liberties Union’s press release on Friday July 27, 2007, “The Department of Homeland Security itself has estimated Real ID will cost $23.1 billion, including $14.6 billion in costs to states and $7.9 billion in costs to individuals.”

Expert Opinion

Montana Senator Max Baucus states, “Real Id does nothing but cause headaches…It’s expensive and could expose personal information to terrorists and identity thieves…I will not support a law that ties state officials hands with more government bureaucracy.”

Topic 3

The Constitution that our forefathers penned in the 1700’s has in the last several decades been challenged by a wide range of courts. The fourth amendment is one of the guaranteed rights all citizens of the United States possess.

Fact

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” This is our right to privacy.

Expert Opinion

Sarah Elliott, spokeswoman for Montana Governor Schweitzer stated, “The Governor feels the program violates people’s rights for privacy and he supports any effort to weaken it….We don’t need the federal government snooping in our business.”

Counter Argument

On the other hand, some say that our nation would be better off by knowing who is living in our country and their reasons for being here.

Conclusion

I believe that the Real Id Act will infringe on our personal securities with regards to sensitive personal information, but will also place a heavy monetary burden on already financially strapped Americans while our very rights to privacy are being stripped away in a bold move by the government