Anti-immigrant myths foster costly ID bill in Pennsylvania

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: The patriot news

our favorite aunt loses her job and applies for unemployment compensation. But she's told she needs to show government-issued ID before they'll pay her.
Unfortunately, her purse was stolen, with her driver's license in it. She gets a neighbor to drive her to PennDOT. They tell her that she can't get a driver's license without her original Social Security card. But the Social Security office wants her original birth certificate to give her a new Social Security card. Then, when she tries to get her birth certificate, they tell her she needs to show ID.

It's a vicious circle of bureaucratic red tape -- and at the center is the fact that she has a mortgage and bills to pay, no job and weeks before she can get unemployment benefits. Weeks go by and she's still waiting.

Sound frustrating?

For the estimated 800,000 Pennsylvanians who don't have a government-issued ID, this might soon be all too common. At a time when more and more Pennsylvanians are losing their jobs and feeling the squeeze of the economic downturn, the Pennsylvania Senate took the extraordinary step of making it harder for Pennsylvania citizens to access desperately needed benefits.



Read more: http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2009/05/antiimmigrant_myths_foster_cos.html

[Captain Hilts]

1. I'm really stunned that 800K have no govt.-issued I.D.

I actually think it's a good idea to have one - it protects you.

It's INSANITY that PennDot does not have the photo of this woman on file to issue a replacement.

THAT's the problem, not the need for a govt-issued i.d., which is actually a good policy.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. There are lots of reasons people don't have ID

They need to make it easier for them to get ID instead of condemning them to a no man's identity land.

[w4rma]

8. Exactly. It needs to be easier to get the IDs. (nt)

[Captain Hilts]

10. I agree. nt

[davidinalameda]

5. some states don't keep a data base of photos

when I live in WV, I had to get a new picture taken for a license renewal

that also ensures your ID looks like you

[happyslug]

16. Conflict of Regulation is the problem, Penndot has the picture

The problem is NOT the lack of a picture, Penndot has copies of your picture in their data base, the problem is Penndot wants ID to get an ID. The ID needed is restricted, the ideal ID is another license, but your birth certificate will do. If you want to get a copy of your Birth Certificate, the Bureau of Vital Statistics want a copy of your Driver's license or other Penndot ID.

Notice the problem, you need your Driver's License to get your birth certificate, to get your Birth Certificate you need your Driver's License. If you have neither, you can NOT get either. One alternative is to have your lawyer request your birth certificate and then use that birth certificate to get your driver's license.

[old mark]

20. I live in PA and NO ONE has ever accused our state legislature

of being overly smart.
Just crooked.

mark

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. My mother was born at home and never had a birth certificate

There needs to be avenues for people like this to get ID. My mother was unable to register to vote when her state legislated voter ID. She was 80 years old.

[michreject]

15. My mother was born at home too

She was born in Harlan County Kentucky. When she retired and went to collect SS, she had to provide a birth cert. She didn't have one. The SS dept told her to have any Sisters, Brothers or any relatives that could attest to her birth to write a affidavit stating as such. She mailed this to the County seat, got her birth cert, took it to SS and got her social security.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. My mom didn't have that option because everyone who could have attested for her was dead

She had had a drivers license and a passport. I am not sure how she got them but she did and she also worked 40 years for a US defense contractor and had to undergo FBI clearances every couple years.

But by the time she needed that birth certificate, she had not driven for at least 10 years and had no idea where her passport was. And without a birth certificate, she couldn't get a copy of any of her documents. It was a mess.

[creeksneakers2]

4. My girlfriend had the same problem. Here's how we solved it.

She never drove so she never bothered to get ID until later in life. If you go to the birth certificate office in Harrisburg you can apply for the birth certificate without ID. You just need ID to pick it up.

The rules list other people who can pick up the certificate for you. It covers most family members. Have a family member who has ID pick up the certificate. Then run the birth certificate to the SS office. Try to bring a work ID if you can get one. Then run the birth certificate and SS card to PennDOT for an ID.

[happyslug]

14. One person listed is your lawyer

If you are low income, contact your local Legal services and have one of their attorneys to make the request for your birth certificate. That is the only way to make the request, now a days, without some sort of picture ID.

[DBoon]

6. In the USA, were are considered individuals first

and have the rights of humans based on our own existence. The rights of citizenship are considered the birthright of all humans, not something to be granted and taken away by the government.

Requiring government-issued identification of all citizens is a step away from natural human rights, and toward rights contingent of the whims of the government

If you are required to have government issued ID to participate in society, then what is to stop the government from making you an "unperson" by revoking this ID?

During the McCarthy era, people had their passports pulled because their political opinions were considered dangerous (e.g. Paul Robeson).

Think of the consequences if this were done today - not only would a political opponent be unable to travel abroad, they would be unable to travel domestically, maintain a job, obtain housing, etc.

[Bette Noir]

7. You're mistaken.

Our human rights are based on our own existence, but out rights of citizenship are based on being citizens. Freedom from torture is a human right (or was, prior to the Bush administration), but being able to vote in an American election is a right of citizenship, which is contingent upon being born in the US, being born to American parents anywhere, or meeting certain requirements, including passing a test and taking an oath, to become a citizen after birth.

In a perfect world, we would all have birth certificates and passports at hand. In the world we have, sometimes it takes planning ahead to get the ID one requires. And, yes, I'm sorry I missed an opportunity to take a trip abroad a few years ago, because I didn't have a birth certificate on hand with which to acquire a passport. I have since made up that deficit.

There should be an exception to the requirement to show ID to obtain unemplyment benefits, in cases of hardship.

[WriteDown]

9. Your last line...

"There should be an exception to the requirement to show ID to obtain unemplyment benefits, in cases of hardship."

Then what's to stop me from walking into the unemployment office and getting benefits paid to me in someone elses name? :shrug:

[Captain Hilts]

11. Right. nt

[creeksneakers2]

17. The prior employer is contacted by the unemployment office

They'd likely pick up discrepencies. Things like dates of employment or reported wages wouldn't match up. It the person you wish to impersonate was laid off, he probably already is getting benefits, so the dual applications would get caught. He also might go back to work, which would snag up your fraudulently obtained benefits. There's a good chance you'd get caught.

[WriteDown]

19. Given how incredibly easy identity theft is now...

I have little hope that they would ever "pick up any discrepancies." All it takes is someone taking your mail from your mailbox.

[KamaAina]

13. This is becoming a huge problem for people with disabilities

In a perfect world, we would all have birth certificates and passports at hand.

A lot of people with disabilities don't have ID. Why would we need to get one? Many of us live in group homes, go to day programs, etc., and rarely travel as far as the mall, let alone abroad, so no passport; most do not drive, so no driver license; most do not work, so no paychecks, and no ID needed to cash they paychecks, etc., etc.

These proof of citizenship requirements, brought to you by your friendly local xenophobic repuke :sarcasm: , are becoming a huge barrier keeping people from getting the benefits to which they are entitled.

Solution: In a situation like this, this woman, or say, someone from Maui who needs to fly up to O'ahu for a self-advocacy conference, should be able to sign an affidavit attesting to her citizenship. If some terraist should fake that, s/he would be guilty of perjury.

[Captain Hilts]

12. As citizens you are part of a greater whole. A govt.-issued i.d. protects you more than hurts you.