Greetings. According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. Senate immigration reform advocates Chuck Schumer and Lindsey Graham are proposing a mandatory biometric (e.g. fingerprint-based) National ID Card system, and are attempting to brush away privacy concerns as trivial and irrelevant.

Touted as "merely" a "right-to-work" card aimed at addressing illegal immigration concerns, there's simply no fast-talking around the fact that this plan will set in motion a massive national ID infrastructure that will ultimately penetrate every aspect of our lives. Anyone who suggests otherwise is -- sorry to say -- either a liar or a fool.

I basically care not one whit what other countries have done in this regard. When it comes to civil liberties, each nation is in the end responsible for their own nirvanas -- or hells. So apparently we'll need to save ourselves from the seemingly well-meaning but clearly bullheaded and misguided efforts of these two usually relatively sensible Senators.

Frankly, I can't think of many more effective ways to trigger an outpouring of civil disobedience among otherwise law-abiding and patriotic Americans than trying to stuff biometric ID cards up our you-know-whats (where the new airport full-body scanners won't be able to see them, by the way).

"Your papers, please! NOW Comrade!"

--Lauren--