Sanford to announce REAL ID decision Monday

Gov. Mark Sanford will announce Monday his decision on whether he will ask federal authorities for an extension to comply with new security rules for driver's licenses and other state-issued IDs.

The REAL ID program is run by the federal Department of Homeland Security and its goal is to make ID cards tamperproof to fight fraud and terrorism.

S.C. has not complied with all of the REAL ID requirements. Sanford must apply for an extension by Monday. Sanford and the General Assembly have resisted full compliance with REAL ID, citing costs and concerns S.C. citizens' personal information might not be protected.

If S.C. doesn't get an extension, travelers from this state who  board airplanes would be subject to extra security.

Comments

[John P. Baker]

If the feds start treating SC residents as 2nd class citizens when boarding aircraft, I suggest that SC specifically target federal employees for additional security screening before permitting them to enter SC state and local government office buildings.

[jp]

What they are threatening to the citizens of South Carolina and Main is nothing more than strong arm intimidation tactics. North Carolina is already complying with the Real ID and the citizens of North Carolina is fighting to have it repealed. Every American needs to fight this. Adolf Hitler had a National ID and look what happened in Nazi Germany. Mexican Citizens have a national ID card and without it, they are unable to work, rent, drive, or buy a home. Let us not become a police state with this national id card.

[Jon]

SC once led the nation in standing against the bullying tactics of the Federal government. Now is the time to do it again!

Say no to RealID, yet another step to a federal police state.

I'm happy to suffer the terrors of showing a passport and enduring additional (falsely warranted) searches at airports. Why would we give up on an important principal for the convenience of entering federal buildings and airplanes?

I like John's idea of requiring federal employees to show undergo additional screening at SC state buildings.

Fight this!

[Clay]

I think the idea of a national ID program is a good idea. If this nation is ever going to solve the problems associated with immigration and terrorism, there must be a way for officials to identify people and there status. The technology available will allow officials to immediately identify terror suspects, illegal immigrants etc. I also think this will help government agencies work together. For example, if an illegal immigrant is pulled over by a police officer, that officer could immediately notify immigration. This would streamline the process of maintaining order and lower the overall cost of government.

On the flip side the is the possible Orwellian effect. This is the idea that the government will be able to monitor our every move and control the way we behave. I am NOT in favor of this. Therefore checks and balances must be in place.

People should be able to access all of the information on their ID or file as easily as any government official. They must be able to appeal any information that they feel is misleading or false. This appeal process would be expensive, however savings in personnel and that come from streamlining the information processes could easily pay for the appeal process.

State government should also have the power to limit Federal authority.

[Centrist View]

Is a passport basically not the equivalent of a national ID?

[Billy]

Sanford should either sue the fed or fill out the extension. This is just more grand standing on his part..

[Ash]

I must say I am pretty ticked off by this whole ordeal. I support Gov. Sanford, for the first time ever, in his decision to wait this thing out. I do not think a National ID is going to protect this country from terrorism anymore than the ridiculously long lines at the airports do. I agree with Mr. Baker's comments about Hilter and Mexico. This is a push for the government to control individual states and it should be stopped. I am a mere college student who can barely afford school books and rent, let alone shelling out $160 dollars for a passport. I hope Gov. Sanford stands behind our state and his comment about it being cheaper for the state to pay for us all to get passports than get the Real ID.

[wgs]

I say ask for the darn extension; it isn't going to hurt our position either way; the bottom line is we have to remember we live in a different world today and unfortunately there are people out there that hate the USA and will do anything to hurt or destroy us.

I certainly don't want to be subjected to extra screenings when presenting my Driver's License when flying or entering a federal building because we can't apply for the extension.