May 18, 2005

 

Libertarian Party of Brevard urges nullification of Real ID Act

 

(Cocoa, May 17) The Libertarian Party of Brevard today urged the Brevard County legislative delegation to support introduction of a bill to nullify the provisions of the recently passed Real ID Act.

 

According to Brevard Libertarian Chairman, Bruce Wechsler, the Real ID Act violates the rights of Floridians and all States' citizens to travel freely within the United States. "It creates for all intents and purposes an internal passport requirement just as was done in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union", Wechsler said.

 

Provisions of the Act create a minimum standard for driver's license issuance and standardized machine readable technology, with a centralized database maintained by the Department of Homeland Security. The law further allows the Department of Homeland Security to add additional information requirements without any legislative or judicial review. In the future, it may even require radio frequency identification chips (RFID) embedded in the licenses. Under the current provisions of the law, anyone that doesn't have identification approved by the Department of Homeland Security, would not be allowed to board a plane or into any federal facilities.

 

Although the stated intention to fight terrorism may be valid, the reality is the Florida Legislature in 2002 tightened the requirements for issuance of driver's licenses-correcting that problem. "The real problem with the Real ID Act lies in how it may be used in the future. One of the really scary things" said Wechsler "is that this database of American's personal and financial information may be shared with foreign governments under the requirement to conform with the "Drivers License Agreement" according to Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX)"

 

"This is an unacceptable assault on our liberties as free Floridians and free Americans" said Wechsler. "There is no provision in the Constitution of the United States for the federal government to be involved in the licensing of a privilege within the States, such as a driver's license. The only choice", he continued "was to ask the legislatures of the various States to nullify or refuse to comply with the provisions of the federal law."

 

Wechsler said the Libertarian Party in Brevard and across Florida will begin a grass-roots campaign to educate the public about the true effects of the Real ID Act and to support legislators who will vote to nullify its provisions.

 

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