Dirigo

Jesse Walker | January 26, 2007

Good for Maine:

The Maine Legislature declared that it would refuse a congressional order to change its drivers' licenses so they can serve as national identification cards.

Supporters of Thursday's nonbinding resolution -- called the first of its kind in the nation -- say the federal program would invite identity theft and cost Maine taxpayers $185 million over the first five years.

Comments

Honest Abe|1.26.07 @ 6:18PM|#

I don't want to fire on Fort L.L. Bean, but if it means preserving the Union...

|1.26.07 @ 6:24PM|#

There wouldn't happen to be a fortified US Military base in the river off Bangor, would there?

Warren|1.26.07 @ 6:29PM|#

Remember the Maine!

|1.26.07 @ 6:53PM|#

It' too bad we can't rely on "As Maine goes, so goes the nation" any more, isn't it?

No, I suspect when it comes to copying Maine it will be driving while smoking bans that will be imitated.

I suppose we should appreciate what little we get, though.

|1.26.07 @ 7:10PM|#

Nobody's gonna mess with Maine. Read any Stephen King novel, and you'll understand why.

|1.26.07 @ 7:38PM|#

If one has a passport, will they need a separate national ID?

|1.26.07 @ 9:33PM|#

Only for the time being Bill. Eventually the mandatory RFID rectal implant will tell the authorities everything they need to know and so much more.

|1.26.07 @ 10:05PM|#

If Maine is going to lose their highway dollars anyway, they should also drop their alcohol age to 18, allow drivers to not wear seatbelts, allow open containers, etc. (All passed under the threat of losing highway dollars)

SJE|1.26.07 @ 11:06PM|#

I would like to see Maine take this all the way to the US Supreme Court. While I have not read the legislation, I can imagine that the Feds might have constitutional problems mandating that the state comply with REAL ID. Of course, it does not prevent the Feds from cutting off highway $, or not certifying that the Maine license is suitable for boarding a plane.

Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-T|1.27.07 @ 12:34AM|#

Eventually the mandatory RFID rectal implant will tell the authorities everything they need to know and so much more.

What if it becomes dislodged, somehow? I have a friend with a problem that keeps dogging him. So, for my friend's sake, could you tell me what they'll do about that? He's been hounding me for answers.

Guy Montag|1.27.07 @ 2:11AM|#

Isn't this a dupe from yesterday or so?

Sorry, the days are all running together while I deter terrorist activity in Miami.

|1.27.07 @ 2:38AM|#

"There wouldn't happen to be a fortified US Military base in the river off Bangor, would there?"

Why, yes. There is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Knox%2C_Maine

|1.27.07 @ 7:48AM|#

It's too bad state legistlators don't have input into the making of Federal laws anymore, like when they appointed and fired Senators.

Ron Hardin|1.27.07 @ 8:00AM|#

The trouble with secure ID is the paradox of the ID : the more secure it is, the more you rely on it, and the greater the damage.

If you go on the old wing-it system, you don't rely on the ID so much and look more at the person.

The result is more common sense, the terrorist's worst enemy.

Chip|1.27.07 @ 11:17AM|#

This sounds remarkably like the old state policy of nullification, whereby states had the authority (since they are the principle and the fed is the agent) to refuse to impliment federal law. While I certainly admire Maine for taking a stand for liberty (in this case) against the bloated federal monster in D.C., it is ironic that Maine took up arms in the struggle that pretty much eliminated nullification as an option and helped to establish the centralized empire we now know as the federal government. Maine helped to create the very monster they now recognize as a threat to themselves.

Ironic.

Larry A|1.27.07 @ 5:21PM|#

The result is more common sense, the terrorist's worst enemy.

The result is more common sense, the government's worst enemy.

Guy Miontag|1.28.07 @ 12:50AM|#

Chip,

Not ironic, hypocritical. They wanted a strong federal overlord as long as it agreed with them.

|1.28.07 @ 10:12AM|#

"...the days are all running together while I deter terrorist activity in Miami."

Don't forget to wash your hands after that.

|1.28.07 @ 11:25AM|#

The Maine Legislature will also be voting on a bill that will direct Maine's Secretary of State to not comply with the Real ID requirements. The vote for the resolution was 137-4 in the Maine House and 34-0 in the Senate so it had really broad support.

|1.29.07 @ 4:26PM|#

"We have reached the limits of what rectal probing can teach us"

Larry A|1.30.07 @ 1:11AM|#

It would be interesting to cast a balance on how much the state could save in deregulation per "lost" dollar of Federal highway funding.

Might give folks the impetus to examine Federal education funding et al.

We might even find that giving in to Federal extortion doesn't pay.

|2.1.07 @ 9:37AM|#

Wow!