"...than having to present papers whenever you cross any political boundary inside the United States."
Where is that written? I don't recall that as part of the real id act. Note from the article:
"The new plan keeps elements of Real ID, such as requiring a digital photograph, signature and machine-readable features such as a bar code. States also will still need to verify applicants' identities and legal status by checking federal immigration, Social Security and State Department databases.
But it eliminates demands for new databases -- linked through a national data hub -- that would allow all states to store and cross-check such information, and a requirement that motor vehicle departments verify birth certificates with originating agencies, a bid to fight identity theft."
That latter part was what interested me. In maryland we have a huge problem with illegal immigrants - there were stories of people getting driver's licenses sharing a stated address with 800 other people. Then, having found the state with the weakest laws, the illegals can then pass themselves off as legal citizens anywhere in the US, abusing services without paying taxes.
Just to be clear, my only issue here is *illegal* immigration. I don't care one way or another about immigrants (my wife is an immigrant), but I do care about people paying their fair share. Beyond the money, there's a difference between a person who is simply using a system rather than participating in a system. The latter implies responsibility, which is an important component in life (IMO, of course).
-Jeff