Wednesday, July 2, 2008
State Rep. Jim Guest, R-King City, gives constituents their money’s worth when he says he is going to Jefferson City to stand up for individual liberties and conservative values.
Not that everyone agrees with him, but Rep. Guest has taken on two high-profile issues in his efforts to call attention to privacy threats.
Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt has signed legislation prohibiting companies from forcing workers to have microchips implanted in their bodies. Rep. Guest saw to it that this provision was included in a bill concerning overtime and disability benefits.
It’s not an issue we would have placed atop the legislative agenda, but in retrospect we’re fine with this as far as it goes. Rep. Guest wants to head off a problem before it starts.
It is believed that a few hundred people nationwide have been voluntarily implanted, usually in the upper arm, with microchips that can allow the individual to gain access to secure areas or, in the case of doctors, health records. Civil liberties advocates argue that if the chips are put into widespread use, they could allow people to be tracked or monitored without their knowledge and raise issues of identity theft.
Rep. Guest pushed this bill even though the issue had not surfaced in the state. We agree that mandatory implants, if it ever came to that, would raise serious concerns for society.
The Northwest Missouri lawmaker also wants the state to opt out from complying with the Real ID Act, which aims to make driver’s licenses more secure and requires states to share databases containing licensees’ personal information. This effort is not going as well.
Rep. Guest fears Real ID could lead to a national ID card that could be compromised and threaten the user’s privacy. The Missouri House passed the measure last session, but the effort languished in the Senate. Recently the state announced it is receiving a $17 million federal grant to develop and test a verification process that would be used to implement Real ID.
We understand Rep. Guest’s issues with Real ID, but concerns for the security of our country very well could trump his concerns that personal data might be compromised.
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I applaud Representative Jim Guest on his efforts to protect our freedoms and our rights.
We need more Legislators like him. Those who actually read and abide by the US Constitution.
"We understand Rep. Guest’s issues with Real ID, but concerns for the security of our country very well could trump his concerns that personal data might be compromised."
There is no might about it. DHS has had their systems hacked 850 times, The Pentagon, The State Department, US Veterans Administration, State DMVs, Universities, banks, private corporations and Retail giants have all had their databases compromised.
Can we really entrust all of our data to a National identification System when those responsible for the security of our nation cannot keep their systems secure?
"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" Benjamin Franklin. (One of our Founding Fathers).
Wake up Sheeple! SAY NO TO THE REAL ID NATIONAL ID CARD!
Posted by joetowner on July 2, 2008 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)umm, isn't the real ID just a way for our states to implement a consistent driver's license for everyone? Didn't the hijackers on 9/11 have like 13 different IDs on anyone of them? I understand the resistence to a national ID, but if all the law does is present standard guidelines for the Staes to adhere to with drivers licenses, what's the big deal?
Posted by gopguy on July 2, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)Wow! Thank you BenFranklin for noting in parenthesis that Benjamin Franklin was one of our Founding Fathers. That is information I did not know. Trust me, you are not more brilliant than the "Sheeple" as you so affectionately refer to everyone that doesn’t believe in your ideology.
Posted by ibmhal on July 2, 2008 at 3:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)gopguy,
Ben is on the money. Real-ID, NIS and chipping are all further extensions of our government into our private lives.
If you're like my Dad, you'll think "What? I've nothing to hide!"
Me neither, I've got nothing to hide. But that's my business. Not the business of our Government.
Somehow I didn't equate "conservative" and "GOP" with "full access to all my affairs". Sounds pretty liberal if you ask me.
Posted by gopguy on July 2, 2008 at 4:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)ibmhal --- I was not contesting the stance BenFranklin is taking on the issue, but rather his arrogance. Care to address that?
Posted by heritage on July 2, 2008 at 5:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)couldn't have said it better, bf. including the founding fathers bit ;>)
Posted by BenFranklin on July 2, 2008 at 7:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)the answer to 1984 is 1776! we the people will not be microchipped! Guest is doing what other legislators are not doing and that is taking a stand for the voiceless. keep up the good work Mr Guest!
Posted by missouri_mule on July 3, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)Jin Guest is a corparate butt kiss! Have you ever met the guy, or his employees in Jeff city? ONCE YOU DO, YOU WON'T VOTE FOR HIM AGAIN!!
Posted by mikeo on July 5, 2008 at 9:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)There is a few facts that we all need to know. One is that our executive branch has already agreed to share biometric identification data (say Real ID, fingerprints, eye scans) on its citizens with the Canadian AND MEXICAN governments. This is part of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP.gov). The executive branch has also agreed with Great Britan to make US and British cards compatable with each other's readers. Great Britan has agreed to make their cards compatable with the rest of Europe. The fact is that the Real ID is in essence US participation in a global ID system, where every human being will be assigned a number.
If our government were truly concerned about national security, our borders would be secured. Immigrants and foreigners would be the ones being tracked.
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