Below is an excerpt from a news item that provides a nice FAQ about the Real ID Act just passed.

A lot of people think it’s a Big Brother step. I agree, but I’m conflicted about whether this a bad thing.

States have differing standards on the level of documentation required to give you an official ID. With an official ID from a state, such as a driver’s license, your identity card is good everywhere in the USA.

In these times, it makes more sense to have a fairly uniform high standard of proof in order to get the main ID card that society recognizes.

I expect that the ID cards will soon evolve into a trustee card of some sort, so that the better the proof you supply, the more “trusted” your ID code becomes. You might be subjected to less scrutiny at the airport, for example, if your trusted status is high. And your status could be coded into your ID card.

I expect we would have the choice of meeting the higher proof standard, if we wanted the conveniences associated with the trusted status.

But then, in order to get the trusted status, we’d have to give up some privacy - therein lies a conflict.

I’m still sorting out my feelings on the national ID card standards.

The article below is a good intro to what the new ID card fuss is all about.

What the REAL ID Act means

What’s all the fuss with the Real ID Act about?
President Bush is expected to sign an $82 billion military spending bill soon that will, in part, create electronically readable, federally approved ID cards for Americans. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the package–which includes the Real ID Act–on Thursday.

What does that mean for me?
Starting three years from now, if you live or work in the United States, you’ll need a federally approved ID card to travel on an airplane, open a bank account, collect Social Security payments, or take advantage of nearly any government service. Practically speaking, your driver’s license likely will have to be reissued to meet federal standards.

What’s new:
The House of Representatives has approved an $82 billion military spending bill with an attachment that would mandate electronically readable ID cards for Americans. President Bush is expected to sign the bill.

Bottom line:
The Real ID Act would establish what amounts to a national identity card. State drivers’ licenses and other such documents would have to meet federal ID standards established by the Department of Homeland Security.

The Real ID Act hands the Department of Homeland Security the power to set these standards and determine whether state drivers’ licenses and other ID cards pass muster. Only ID cards approved by Homeland Security can be accepted “for any official purpose” by the feds.