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Chris says: "Here's interview with the governer of Montana on the Real ID that's being forced down states' throats by Homeland Security.
"This is the funniest interview I've heard with an elected politician on a security-related issue. He completely calls the Federal Government on their bluff, and completely dismantles the usefulness of this act. Please, start with the first minute. It gets better from there."
"We're putting up with the federal government on so many fronts, and nearly every month they come out with another hare-brained scheme ... to tell us that our life is going to be better if we just buckle under on some other kind of rule or regulation. And we usually just play along for a while. We ignore 'em for as long as we can. We try not to bring it to a head but if it comes to a head we found that it's best to tell 'em to go to Hell and run the state you wanna run your state.LinkUnfortunately this time around they've really got a hare-brained scheme... almost all those hijackers on 9/11 would have qualified for a Real ID."
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Haha, what a charismatic guy, he comes across as both knowledgeable and self-confidently reasonable.
the whole point of seamless, electronic, internationally uniform ID is TAXES. Can't have an underground economy if no one can hide.
Oh man... I heard this on NPR this afternoon, it was great. I wanted to hug this guy (the governor, I mean). More elected officials need to start speaking out like this. When higher-ups start decrying the "security" bullshit that the gummint's been forcing down our throats... well... it's glimmer of hope anyway. Everyone should listen to this interview, it might lift your spirits a little.
I listened to the entire interview today. He was as straightforward as one can get "They can go to hell!"
Homeland Security's comment was "Showing up at an airport after May with a Montana license will be the same as showing up with no license".
If the people won't stand up to this idiocy, maybe it will be a State Vs Federal issue. I hope the Montana people back their governor.
The problem is that the States are on the federal money tit. If we had a saner taxing structure where states could keep more money and fix their own highways, etc. things like Real ID wouldn't get shoved down our throats. Should the Fed give the money without strings? Undoubtedly, but that's not the way the world works.
The funny thing is is that most of you guys in here are probably liberals -- the party of really big government. The fact that Bush is the one doing it is ironic for other reasons. Bush is for sort of big government. Enjoy your real ID when you vote for Hill or Barry O because they will fast track this stuff in areas much wider than Nat'l security. Theirs will be "for the children".
@Troy: The politics of the Boing Boingers might surprise you. As the site is not primarily a political one, the crowd therefore is not attracted to Boing Boing for their common political interests and they're all over the spectrum.
what a polite way of saying the inmates are running th asylum. Great! isn't it?
Jesus. What a great interview. If this guy ran for president, I'd probably vote for him.
I was thinking..... I really can't vote for Hilary or McCain.......they both have deal breakers in their policies, as far as I'm concerned.
I just found out Nader is running this time, so I may vote for him. As much as I like him, I think he'll enact too many laws....I'm in favor of less government, not more, which this guy cool cowboy seems to be against.
Brian Schweitzer - Please run! Even as a write in! If not this time, than the time.
Michael W. Dean
http://www.stinkfight.com
just don't write in bush
The governor seems to imply that he is not only against the demand because, as he rightfully points out, it is an unconstitutional power grab by the Chertoff and the FEDs, but because that ultimately Real ID is ineffective due to security loopholes. Does that mean that he would be for stamping people with a RFID chip at birth or creating a central retinal scan database? Traveling is not a priviledge, it is a right. Any impediment to that right is an affront to ones God given liberty. The founders of this country would be ashamed with what we put up with.
#9 posted by Takuan , March 7, 2008 10:58 PM
just don't write in bush
===
I'm really sick of that cowboy. Time for a cool cowboy.
MWD
Troy @5:
It's true that one difference between a (true) liberal and a (true) conservative in American politics is that liberals tend to prefer a larger role for the government in public life. But both ends of the spectrum want appropriate, effective government.
That doesn't mean that liberals approve of a government that wastes money, or takes our rights away, or creates a police state. That's as much a betrayal of liberalism as it is of conservativism.
Fight the real enemy: authoritarians of all stripes. People on both sides who want you to do what you're told and not think too hard. Don't let them distract you and sap your energy by pointing you at the "liberals".
We could stop flying as well.
One of the things I have always admired about the US is how the constant tension between the states and Washington keeps them honest. This is a good example. Real ID has gone from a universal ID to be implemented by May 2008, to state driver ID security guidelines to be implemented by 2014 or so. All thanks to a handful of states saying no thanks. Thats a big often unanimous bipartisan no thanks.
I found another clip from NPR of Michael Chertoff from January 2008: [Three types of people would be unhappy with the new ID's] "Terrorists. People who want to get on airplanes and federal buildings and avoid terrorist watch lists. Illegal immigrants who want to work in this country by pretending to be American citizens and con men".
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18028514
I wonder what category the Governors, and the members of state congress and senates fit in?
I heard the interview and was so inspired I picked up the phone and called the Governor's office immediately to thank him! We ALL should do the same, let him know that there are millions of us out here who support him......( at least I hope it's millions)
Governor Brian D. Schweitzer
Office of the Governor
Montana State Capitol Bldg.
P.O. Box 200801
Helena MT 59620-0801
(406) 444-3111, FAX (406) 444-5529
I was listening to the interview on the way home yesterday, and was wishing this guy could be the governor of Wisconsin too. The feeble asshat who's our current governor couldn't even get the state budget passed after 6 months of wrangling with the WI state senate.
The link seems to point to an edited version of the interview. I listened to the whole thing and most of the Governor's statements, quoted above, are missing.
Anybody have a link to the full interview?
-S
i live in montana and we love schweitzer, he's a very smart guy (speaks arabic even) and his viewpoints on this real id issue are right in line with most people in montana. keep up the good work brian
another thing about schweitzer, there were articles in major magazines suggesting he could/should run for pres. he's ran for governor here in montana with a republican leutenant governor. he's pretty much an awesome governor and we love him to be pres one day
interesting....
"On May 3, 2006, Schweitzer granted posthumous pardons to 78 persons convicted of sedition during World War I for making comments that were critical of the war. These were the first posthumous pardons in Montana history, but the convictions had become notorious in recent years because Montana's sedition law had been one of the broadest and harshest of its time: one man went to prison for calling food rationing "a joke," while others were targeted because they refused to physically kiss a U.S. flag or to buy Liberty Bonds. At a public ceremony attended by family members of the pardon recipients, Schweitzer said "[i]n times when our country is pushed to our limits, those are the times when it is most important to remember individual rights."[4][5]"
yes,yes..he has the common touch - such a man could be useful to our reptilian masters... we must contact him
Thank you for helping us let Gov Schweitzer know how deeply appreciated his efforts are. He is not the typical politician IMHO and it felt good when I voted for him to be our governor. It will also feel good when I vote for Ron Paul for president.
Thank you all for helping us thank him. I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to vote for him here just as I am going to be thrilled when I vote for Ron Paul as president.
"I hope the Montana people back their governor."
On this issue, we almost unanimously do. It's just too bad the federal government is gearing up to punish us for doing so.
Meep meep! More ACME Co. rockets needed, and suspension of the laws of both nature and man.
@9 & 11 &... ---
"just don't write in bush"
I disagree... we should ALL write in Bush.
I mean, really... his approval rating (and not the ones touted by the media, think about it- of all the people you know, how many would publicly admit to supporting ol' Junior?) has sucked ass for the last 3...2?... 3... years, he's been keeping his head down just trying to ride this last year out praying that he doesn't come up for air and get a face full of shit.
But to the point... can you imagine the panic when he is informed and realizes that he is indeed chained to the bumper of the car he spent the last 8 years pushing over a cliff...?
Why should someone else inherit the mess he made while listening to whoever the hell was giving him directions from the backseat?
As if Clinton, McCain or Obama stands a chance of rectifying all of Bushs' errors?
@ Michael W. Dean
What about Ron Paul? last I heard he's still running (won't win- but still) and he is definitely for less government... I'd even hazard to go so far as minimal government.
And @ EvilRooster....
Right on... Authority- by it's very nature, should be questioned. One of the first lessons we learned as children is "If Xxxxxx told you to jump of a bridge, would you?" When told to do something you should ask yourself 'What right does this person have to make decisions for me.' For me, 'Because they work for the government' is more of a reason to resist than to comply...
But I'm weird like that......
VOTE BUSH! MAKE HIM CLEAN IT UP!
I agree with most of the comments here. Most importantly, just take a look at current rates of crime in almost every city in Montana -- http://mywikicity.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Montana -- it seems to me Montana is one of the safest places to live in the US, even when accounting for urban vs. suburban demographics.
There's nothing wrong with Real ID and it actually makes a lot more sense than separate forms of ID for each state. I can think of no downsides. You have a drivers license don't you?
I'm surprised that no one challenged Troy on his characterization of Democrats as "the party of really big government." In fact, government spending has reliably gone up far more under our last half-dozen Republican presidents.
WWEBoing, that comment doesn't tell me anything about the people mentioned, but it tells me a world about you.