Loading ...
GET YOUR PASSPORTS READY
Gov. Mark Sanford just announced that he will not ask for an extension to implement the federally-mandated Real ID program. He had until today to file for more time and, according to the Associated Press, he chose not to do so.
The decision means South Carolinians may not be allowed to board airplanes or enter some federal facilities using only their state-issued driver’s licenses. They’d have to use a passport or go through more rigorous screening.
Sanford’s decision came on the deadline to ask for more time to comply with the law. The state Legislature last year passed a measure that bars South Carolina from complying.
Sanford and other governors have complained the Real ID measure costs too much.
The Real ID law calls for more secure identification cards in the wake of the 2001 terror attacks. Sanford says South Carolina already meets all but a couple of the standards. [AP]
This issue has been used by both Sanford and the General Assembly as a political football in an ongoing war. Sanford believed the law passed last year by legislators — which he signed — did not allow him to ask for more time because doing so would imply future compliance.
On the other hand, legislators said an initial extension request would have appeased the federal government while still complying with South Carolina law. An opinion released by Attorney General Henry McMaster seemed to suggest Sanford could legally ask for more time.
Regardless of who wins the political tug-of-war, this decision means voters lose. And when voters lose, they get pretty pissed off. Look for this issue to be very important in the coming elections when people have had plenty of time to experience the new hassles wrought by extra security checks and expensive passports.
________
UPDATE: Despite all of the noise made over this, the feds balked and gave us an extension anyway.
You’re commentary is terrible Adam.
On this issue, the Federal Government is clearly in the wrong and abusing their power; any and all opposition to such is commendable and patriotic.
Chertoff is bluffing; things will never progress to the point that real ID actually interferes with any voters getting on an airplane.
There is no reasonable justification for the feds to actually act on this threat to do so either; I know it, you know it, and any person with 2 or more neurons between their ears knows it. Sanford is right (on this issue), the legislature are cowards trying to appease a bully, and the feds are stomping around kicking sand in everyone’s face for no better reason then they can.
Sanford just put out the welcome mat…
…for criminals in other states that would otherwise have to comply with REAL ID.
Come to South Carolina! No REAL ID Required!
Idiot. 18 out of 19 9/11 hijackers would have qualified for a Real ID (one used a foreign passport to board his plane).
All the documents required to get one can be forged.
Bill – The program is a disaster, I agree. The way it is right now, we definitely should not comply. It’s a terrible idea that, at best, infringes on the rights of the people.
But my point is that everyone at the state level screwed this up. EVERYONE. Not just the legislature. Not just Sanford. There was no reason to pass that law last year, and there was no reason to not file for the extension.
In the end, our stubbornness and ideological BS costs everyone.
C’mon! In the same breath you say “the program is a disaster,” and “There was no reason [for state officials to do two things which oppose the program]”
The program being a disaster is more than enough reason for anyone and everyone to try and stop it.
What would you have be done instead? Ignore it and hope it goes away? That simply won’t happen unless people like Brian Schweitzer and Mark Sanford continue to give washington good reason to think twice about it.
“In the end, our stubbornness and ideological BS costs everyone.”
No. Wrong. No, no, no. Bad.
In the end, the idiotic policies enacted by an incompetent and uncontested federal government costs everyone.
Bill – The extension was good through 2014 and basically provides states and the federal government time to hash out the differences. There are pros and cons to both sides in this argument.
But just like the immigration issue, rather than taking time to cool off a bit and working toward reasonable solutions, we allowed our stubborn ideology to get the best of us.
Sure we didn’t comply and sure we didn’t ask for an extension, but what did we get out of it?
A chance to say, “yeah, we showed the man! We stuck to our guns and we didn’t let those bastards shove an unfunded mandate down our throats.”
Granted, they probably would have worked with us to resolve it, but now we’ve pissed them off and they won’t work with us anymore. And now we have to use federal ID everywhere we go.
But, boy did we sure show them how principled and resolute we are!
Bill A is a Sanford boi…stop tring to change his mind.
Sanford did this so he could be a hero to the right wing…not here in SC but all over the country. It is Mark Sanford againt the man. Mark Sanford…fighting for us.
Of course that is bull crap. He could have asked for an extension and filed suit on the same day. but no…he wants to be a hero to the right wing rich guys that have sent him millions…on which he will retire.
He is one selfish SOB. He cares only for Sanford…and the people of SC be damned.
Comrade Sanford should have a nice stamp on his passport denoting Cuba. Governor Sanford came for my leadership seminar concerning restructuring SC after the model we use here,
-Fidel
Bravo for the real American Gov. Mark Sanford.
He has shown what true freedom and liberty stand for, and for that I applaud him!
[...] initially given until March 31, 2008 to comply with the program or ask for an extension. Sanford did neither, saying that asking for an extension would imply an intent to [...]