Voting

[medsec222]

I have a travel pass with my photograph on it. I have never agreed with compulsary i.d. previously but I am slowly coming round to the idea.

[Workingman]

I was reading a comment from a indignantly saying that he would NOT give his ID (photo or not) to some random person at a polling station.

I bet he shows his bus pass, library card, something to prove who he is at the hotel reception, his boarding card and passport for his flight or ferry and his driving licence if stopped by the police. Without proving his identity to all these random people he will be having quite a restricted life. Idiot.

And yes, Meds, an ID card would cover all of the above plus many of the 21 acceptable others detailed on the polling card. But wait, having an ID card allows the government to control your every waking moment, and some of your sleeping ones no doubt, and we can't allow that to happen.

[Suff]

And yes, Meds, an ID card would cover all of the above plus many of the 21 acceptable others detailed on the polling card. But wait, having an ID card allows the government to control your every waking moment, and some of your sleeping ones no doubt, and we can't allow that to happen.

Ah yes, an instant fix to a once in 5 year problem. Then you spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder to see whether some lameass government has decided that you have to carry it. Everywhere.

What they promised you that mandatory carrying the card would never happen? Just one more broken promise on the pile that already reaches to the Moon!

You do not rush into permanent things just because it looks like a good idea. ID cards are Forever. If we allow them for convenience, then everyone has to understand Forever. Total hassle and ballache Forever. Every 10 bloody years to have the picture updated Forever. Lose it and you have to go take the hassle of getting a new one Forever. They decide to start charging a small fee for it Forever.

No deciding it's too much hassle and you don't want one any more. It's Forever and if it didn't work out the way you thought it would, tough, because it's Forever. Once an ID card is implemented no party will Ever take it back.

[TheOstrich]

I don't have a dog in this fight.
There are no elections in Dorset until 2025, I think.
But like medsec, I'm beginning to come around to the idea of a universal ID card - as long as it's not compulsory to always carry it.

[Kaz]

ID cards would be such a good idea, I have always thought so.
Come on Suff, we’re all “tracked” throughout our lives one way or another, in this electronic age, so what’s the big deal?

[Workingman]

Come on Suff, we’re all “tracked” throughout our lives one way or another, in this electronic age, so what’s the big deal?

Precisely.

Watching one of those police interceptor things. Young lad in the back of the beemer.

"Your licence"
"Don't have it"
"No problem. Name and address"
Lad responds...
"There is no such name at no such address. I can arrest you for obstructing an officer, try again."
Lad responds.
"So, you are on a provisional licence with three points, this car is not insured in your name and it has been taken without the owner's consent. I am arresting you for dangerous driving etc. etc..."

Had he been injured the ambulance crew would have been able to get his NI and NHS numbers and from them all his medical records in order to help him.

The information about all of us is out there regardless of whether we carry a card or not.... but doing so can make life easier for us.

Being paranoid about cards will not help..... but it probably will be recorded somewhere.

[cromwell]

I have a travel pass with my photograph on it. I have never agreed with compulsary i.d. previously but I am slowly coming round to the idea.

That my position too Meds.

[cromwell]

ID cards would be such a good idea, I have always thought so.
Come on Suff, we’re all “tracked” throughout our lives one way or another, in this electronic age, so what’s the big deal?

I think the big deal is the move to a cashless society Kaz, where every purchase you make is recorded.
It comes down to this; politicians love to control people and the more control they have the more they like it. So in a future where all your details are on line and you are down with the NHS as having a high BMI - then you buy a bar of chocolate and get a text reprimanding you for it - or fining you for it. If we let this happen, it will happen.

[Workingman]

We have been sleepwalking into cashless for decades, ever since the mugging epidemic of the 60s. We were told not to carry too much cash to be safer, but that meant problems for bigger purchases or for ordinary life where many trips to the bank for smaller amounts had to be made. Then along came Barclaycard and a bit later Access to make things safer and easier, and the ball was rolling.

When the banks started rationalising their businesses and closing branches some other form of card became essential so along came the debit card, and we also got direct debits and standing orders. We now do not even need those as we can use an app on our electro-brain device and those who use them think nothing of being tracked.

[Suff]

ID cards would be such a good idea, I have always thought so.
Come on Suff, we’re all “tracked” throughout our lives one way or another, in this electronic age, so what’s the big deal?

Governments do not issue ID cards for your benefit. They issue ID cards for "their" benefit.

So it's all such a "good" idea you get this free card which allows you to prove who you are. Great right?

Then they decide to add additional biometric data and a certificate. Good?

Then they mandate that you _must_ use that certificate to carry out things in your life.

Then they add more biometric data, medical data such as NHS reference data.

Then you can't even get a doctors appointment without your ID card.

And it goes on and on and on and on until if you don't carry that ID Card you simply can't function.

Then someone steals your handbag and your ID card goes with it. Now you can't function. In fact you can't even prove who you are without it and if you can't prove who you are, then how do you get your documents to get your new ID card? You can't even book a doctors appointment until the government get around to replacing it for you. Tough if you need to go for your cancer treatment, you won't even get past reception where you have to wave your card to prove who you are. All because someone stole your handbag.

Now let's go back to the start. Governments do NOT issue ID cards for Your benefit. They issue them for Their benefit.

You think this will not happen? I have really bad news for you. It is already happening in countries all over the world where an ID card is mandatory. Not in All of them, but in enough of them.

So we should push this onto future generations? For what? A bit of convenience? It is really a BIT of convenience because in almost every single case there are ways to get this ID without major cost. It does require a bit of effort though.

That is not the British way. But we're not really British any more are we?

Call me paranoid if you want. I will remember that just because you are paranoid is not categoric proof that they are NOT out to get you.... When dealing with governments a small amount of paranoia is not just warranted but actually mandatory. You have to remember that these people making these decisions with your life are, generally, not people you would invite to dinner and certainly would not want marrying into your family.

Yet you trust them with something as invasive as an ID card?