Real ID

[Ben]

I've been seeing a bunch of ZOMG!!! stuff in the news about the Real ID deadline next week. Mostly about how there are hundreds of thousands (millions?) who are unable to get the ID for various reasons from no valid required documents for verification to state agencies apparently breaking down from the number of people trying to make appointments to get one.

I dunno - the thing has been around for 20 years. Whether you are for or against it, there has been plenty of time for people to get one if they want one. Also, the current news is making it sound like you will be homebound if you don't have one. Unless something has changed, I recall these are mostly one valid form of ID you can use to do things like fly commercially or get into federal buildings. Stuff like a passport is still acceptable as a "real ID".

I've also noticed that a lot of conservatives are now against the whole idea of the Real ID, while it was conservatives that pushed for it in the first place.

For myself, given that my Uncle already knew everything about me from the old job, there was no real downside, and even convenience to getting one. I had to renew my CA license a year before I moved to Idaho, and even in CA, it was pretty easy to get one. You just made the same appointment you make for a regular license, but brought in the required verification ID. It took no longer than getting a regular license. Same thing when I moved to ID. I think I was in and out in 20 minutes.

Anyway, it's interesting to follow the current panic of the week. 

[MillCreek]

I am going to wait until my next drivers license renewal.  I use my passport card or Global Entry card when I fly, and now that I am retired, I have no reason to go to the Federal courthouse in Seattle or Tacoma.

[Brad Johnson]

Real ID has been baked into the TX driver's license system for years. I think my last two DL renewals have been so marked.

Like Ben said, it's been around for most of two decades. I don't have a lot of sympathy for folks who waited until the last second to suddenly be concerned. It's a problem of their own making.

Brad

[Boomhauer]

Got mine last year. Used my passport and I think a utility bill to satisfy the requirements. Hardest part about it was filling out the paperwork the DMV could have put online for me to fill and print ahead of time

[Hawkmoon]

I got mine years ago. At a normal driver's license renewal I was lacking one of the required documents, so I had to go back and get a replacement license with the Real ID imprint, but other than the second trip it was a simple process and painless. It's astonishing to realize that there are LOTS of people suddenly waking up to this when it has been reality for two decades (it was created by the Real ID Act of 2005).

And all those people who are suddenly blindsided by this? They vote.

[230RN]

If that's the little black circle with a star inside it in the upper right of my DL, then I guess I'm good to go.  Besides, I've also got my CCW, which I guess is far better vetted as to ID than the Driver's License.

Terry, 230RN

[zxcvbob]

Mine has a flag instead of a star; I got it probably 6 years ago.  I can use it in lieu of a passport to travel to and from Canada or Mexico (and I think the Caribbean) by land or water, but it's not good enough for international air travel. 

It was a bit of a pain in the ass gathering all the required documentation for it because i don't have a passport.

[K Frame]

The big reason why people have waited is because the government kept screaming GET IT BY NEXT TUESDAY OR YOU'RE *expletive deleted*ed!!! only to say Monday at 12:59 and 59 seconds "We're pushing it back for another 387 years for... reasons."

They kept doing that and I know more than a few people who figured it would be something that just never happened, so they didn't worry about it.

I don't fly, I don't go into Federal buildings, so I'm not particularly worried about it at the moment. According to some stuff I've seen there are pretty hefty lines of people waiting to get it right now.

I have to renew my license next year anyway, so I figure I'll do it then.

[RocketMan]

Got mine when I renewed my DL a couple of years ago.  Easy peasy.  No sympathy for the procrastinators from me.

[230RN]

So where do I "rank" with a black circle with a star in it?  I don't have any clearances any more.  Is that a "middle of the road" Real ID, or what?

[Perd Hapley]

I've also noticed that a lot of conservatives are now against the whole idea of the Real ID, while it was conservatives that pushed for it in the first place.

Which conservatives pushed for it? I thought we were against it (not that I ever heard much about it). I've never had one.

[zxcvbob]

So where do I "rank" with a black circle with a star in it?  I don't have any clearances any more.  Is that a "middle of the road" Real ID, or what?

I don't know about the black circle, and I don't think there's a rank. The star means it's a "Real ID" ID.  The ones with a flag are called "Enhanced" IDs, and only a few northern border states issue them.  They are also Real ID compliant.  When I got mine, I don't think Minnesota had a vanilla Real ID license yet.

[Ben]

Which conservatives pushed for it? I thought we were against it (not that I ever heard much about it). I've never had one.

I recall that generally, post 9/11 Bush conservatives being in favor of it, just like they were in favor of the Patriot Act. I can't for sure recall my thoughts at the time, but though I thought the Patriot Act was iffy on day one (and hate it now), I probably thought real ID was a good idea at the time as a way to identify US citizens, especially since 9/11 was somewhat fresh, and it was also the time states started issuing drivers licenses to whoever. I'm not sure I have any problems with it now, given our recent illegal immigration issues and blue states still issuing regular drivers licenses to whoever.

[MechAg94]

I recall that generally, post 9/11 Bush conservatives being in favor of it, just like they were in favor of the Patriot Act. I can't for sure recall my thoughts at the time, but though I thought the Patriot Act was iffy on day one (and hate it now), I probably thought real ID was a good idea at the time as a way to identify US citizens, especially since 9/11 was somewhat fresh, and it was also the time states started issuing drivers licenses to whoever. I'm not sure I have any problems with it now, given our recent illegal immigration issues and blue states still issuing regular drivers licenses to whoever.

It seems to me a lot of people were skeptical, but the BigGov types were in power and there wasn't anyone in the media really addressing it IMO.  I guess a lot of the scandal of the month screaming by the leftist media was likely half a distraction. 

[Kingcreek]

Illinois didn’t have it available until fairly recently. I think it was the last or one of the last states to have it in place. Because hey we’re Illinois. We suck at everything.
I’ll just use my passport until my next DL.
Hell the state still uses an ancient pic of me even though they have newer ones. They F up the FOID and CCL even worse.
I recently went for a TSA precheck ID. Crap that was sketchy too. Office was temporary and very low rent. A strip mall would have been more professional.

[Ben]

I recently went for a TSA precheck ID. Crap that was sketchy too. Office was temporary and very low rent. A strip mall would have been more professional.

I got mine back in CA just after they started, and my location was IN a strip mall. 

[Hawkmoon]

So where do I "rank" with a black circle with a star in it?  I don't have any clearances any more.  Is that a "middle of the road" Real ID, or what?

I don't know about the black circle, and I don't think there's a rank. The star means it's a "Real ID" ID.  The ones with a flag are called "Enhanced" IDs, and only a few northern border states issue them.  They are also Real ID compliant.  When I got mine, I don't think Minnesota had a vanilla Real ID license yet.

Mine has a 5-pointed star in a sort of mustard yellow circle in the upper right corner (and an American flag with "Veteran" under it near the center of the license). My last license before the one with the Real ID star has a blue band across the top with NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION in white letters.

I don't have any problem with Real ID. If it helps prevent illegal aliens from doing anything, I'm for it. The Patriot Act, though, is an affront to the Constitution.

[K Frame]

Which conservatives pushed for it? I thought we were against it (not that I ever heard much about it). I've never had one.

IIRC what became the Real ID act of 2005 was originally proposed as part of the Patriot Act.

So... LOTS of conservatives supported the Patriot Act and a lot of the later enabling legislation around the War on Terror.

[RocketMan]

I don't have any problem with Real ID. If it helps prevent illegal aliens from doing anything, I'm for it.

I have a hunch that some blue states that have been routinely issuing drivers licenses to illegal aliens will be issuing RealID licenses to them as well, without requiring the extra ID that actual citizens must submit.  It's just a hunch, mind you.

[dogmush]

Which conservatives pushed for it? I thought we were against it (not that I ever heard much about it). I've never had one.

Now I totally understand that "R" =/= "Conservative", but support for the Real ID act was overwhelmingly Republican.  It was pushed heavily by the "conservatives" of the time.  (It's kind of interesting to look back on what was "Conservative" 20 years ago vs. today.

Roll Call vote to pass HR 418: https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/200531  261 to 161 in the House. 219 of the Yeas were "R". 

It's harder to track the Senate as clearly, as HR 418 was folded into an Appropriations Bill which passed unanimously.

[dogmush]

I have a hunch that some blue states that have been routinely issuing drivers licenses to illegal aliens will be issuing RealID licenses to them as well, without requiring the extra ID that actual citizens must submit.  It's just a hunch, mind you.

Speaking of Constitutional Crisis.  (Since Dems bring it up evertime Trump farts)

If a state can prove that another state is issuing ID's that don't meet the federal critria established.  That is, A blue state is effectivly issuing fake IDs as policy, the other states would have real cause to sue.  The COTUS requires states to accept other states documents (like Real IDs) as valid.  If you could prove that one state was knowingly subverting that, there would be real damages there.  SCOTUS would be the originating jurisdiction there, I think.

[Hawkmoon]

I have a hunch that some blue states that have been routinely issuing drivers licenses to illegal aliens will be issuing RealID licenses to them as well, without requiring the extra ID that actual citizens must submit.  It's just a hunch, mind you.

I dunno. My state is about as blue as can be, and I had to provide all the require documentation. Of course, I'm a natural-born citizen and I don't have a Hispanic last name. The rules may be more "flexible" if your name is Manuel Garcia-Lopez de Navarre.

[Ben]

I dunno. My state is about as blue as can be, and I had to provide all the require documentation. Of course, I'm a natural-born citizen and I don't have a Hispanic last name. The rules may be more "flexible" if your name is Manuel Garcia-Lopez de Navarre.

I had to provide everything as a white guy back in CA, but there is all kinds of documented evidence of illegals getting licenses and being signed up to vote through CA DMV. For at least the last 30 years, the predominant demographic of DMV workers in any of the offices I went to was hispanic, and I wouldn't bet money against some of them being illegal themselves.

[230RN]

I don't recall going through anything special, never noticed it until I saw a discussion on it. then I looked.  I remember having to provide my Baptismal Certificate for government work.  Otherwise, I've had the same addresses for long periods of time since I moved to CO back in the mid-sixties and I kind of figured that may have been a "proof" of my being a good guy and not a "ghost guy."

I tell ya true, though, my opinion is if it's so loosey-goosey that nobody can define a consistent solid methodology for getting it, it's worthless for its intended purpose.

Which is... pardon my xenophobia ....to filter out undesirables.

And xenophobia is a survival trait.

Terry, 230RN

[Brad Johnson]

I don't recall going through anything special, never noticed it until I saw a discussion on it. then I looked.  I remember having to provide my Baptismal Certificate for something, since getting my birth cert was awkward. 

Texas has required a birth certificate or some equivalent since sometime in the 2000s. I guess that's why the TX ID/DL qualified under Real ID essentially from Day 1.

Brad