We are all in serious trouble

Pop quiz! Who said this?

"(O)nly those with reason to be concerned should be concerned."

Is it:
A) DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff
B) Rush Limbaugh
C) Lakers guard Kobe Bryant
D) Chuck Ardo, spokesman for Governor Rendell

If you guessed C, you are wrong. Nope, this was said by Chuck Ardo, spokesman for Governor Rendell. To be fair, it's not an exact quote. This is how it was paraphrased by KYW radio in Philadelphia. Ardo was responding to a press conference held yesterday by Rep. Sam Rohrer (R-Berks County) in which Rohrer revealed that PennDOT has begun using facial recognition technology when issuing drivers' licenses. Rohrer considers this a form of biometrics, like DNA or finger prints, because your face print is a unique bodily feature and believes that PennDOT started using this technology in response to the federal Real ID Act.

When the Rendell administration starts sounding like the Bush administration, we are all in serious trouble.

Meanwhile, the PA General Assembly is considering not participating in Real ID. Today a House committee unanimously passed HB 2537, which would bar Pennsylvania from seeking certification in Real ID.

Of course, as the case of Dr. Moniem el-Ganayni makes clear, even those who have no reason to be concerned should be concerned. Dr. el-Ganayni is an Egyptian nuclear physicist who has lived in the states for almost 30 years and has been a citizen for since 1988. He's brilliant and, as a prison chaplain, is a good citizen, to boot. So how does the government choose to treat him? By revoking his security clearance. Dr. el-Ganayni has the great American immigration story, but the government turned it into a nightmare after he had the nerve to disagree with state prison officials. He's never been arrested for a single crime.

The Committee of Concerned Scientists has an action alert on his case.

I have plenty of reasons to be concerned. And I'm concerned.

Andy in Harrisburg

We the sheeple

According to Rep. Sam Rohrer (R-Berks), the federal Real ID Act will allow the federal government to track us "like common livestock."

Opposition to Real ID is not exclusive to one ideology or political party. Everyone's against it.

Today at the state capitol, Senator Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon) announced his intention to introduce legislation that would stop Pennsylvania from taking part in the Real ID program.

"If you think dealing with PennDOT is a headache now, you ain't seen nothing," Folmer said, referencing the increased workload for DMVs and the increased number of hoops that residents will have to jump through to get a license under Real ID.

"Diminished privacy, higher fees, a new mountain of bureaucracy, and will we actually be any safer? No, we will not," Folmer added.

Folmer was joined by Rep. Babette Josephs (D-Philadelphia) and Rohrer, co-sponsors of House Bill 1351, which will also block the Commonwealth's participation in Real ID.

"The fact that the federal government doesn't seem to be able to keep track of their computers or the data on their computers," Josephs said, "this is not safe. This is not the way to go."

Real ID will create a massive new database linking DMVs from all 50 states and the U.S. territories, creating a honeypot for identity thieves.

Rohrer called for hearings on HB 1351 and an investigation into PennDOT's recent agreement with a private company to implement Real ID "so the sunshine can light up this contract."

"My path is clear," Rohrer said. "Pennsylvania should flatly and by law reject the implementation of Real ID in this Commonwealth."

For more on Real ID, visit www.realnightmare.org.

Andy in Harrisburg