S.C. gets pass on driver's licensesSanford letter says state already meets 90% of REAL ID Act By Yvonne Wenger (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
COLUMBIA — In keeping with his maverick reputation, Gov. Mark Sanford guided South Carolina past a deadline Monday that he believed would have set the state on the path for compliance with a national ID card. 
Melissa Haneline Gov. Mark Sanford U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff gave the state a temporary pass that will allow South Carolina residents to continue business as usual in airports and federal buildings. In the middle is legal wording concerning an extension for the REAL ID Act, developed by Congress in 2005 to help the country become more secure by setting standards for state driver's licenses and identification cards. The Americans Civil Liberties Union Technology and Liberty Program praised Sanford for his actions. "It was courageous and principled," said Chris Calabrese, council for the ACLU program. "He is trying to force Washington to make a change." South Carolina and six other states have refused to comply with REAL ID and, in all, more than 30 states have opposed it. Maine is the only state not to get an extension. In a five-page letter Sanford wrote early Monday to Chertoff, he said South Carolina licenses are already more secure than most, and noted that Homeland Security has acknowledged that the state already meets 90 percent of the REAL ID Act requirements. Sanford said he was bothered by the fact that Congress gave the act less consideration than the issue of steroids in baseball, and he spent about half the letter blasting the federal law for its shortcomings. Chief among them is what Sanford considers a privacy violation. "Our greatest homeland security is liberty," Sanford said in the Statehouse on Monday to about two dozen supporters, pumping handmade signs. Ilona Blakeley of Pauline, who helped rally the supporters, said she was thrilled with Sanford's actions. "REAL ID compromises personal liberty, personal rights," Blakeley said. "We don't have to show our papers, please." Sanford letterSanford press releaseChertoff responseA. Thomas Hood, who flies frequently in his position as president and chief executive officer for the Charleston-based First Financial Holdings Inc., said by refusing to ask for an extension, the governor put individuals and businesses in a precarious position. "It's disappointing," Hood said. As a practical matter, Sanford's position could have put South Carolina travelers through an extra hassle, he said. Without an extension, Homeland Security had said showing up at the airport with a South Carolina license would have been the same as showing up with none at all. Residents would have needed a passport to travel, or they would have needed to go through a secondary screening. REAL ID extensionSouth Carolina was granted an extension late Monday, as the deadline to ask for more time to comply with the federal REAL ID law came to a close. The action means South Carolina residents can still use their driver's licenses as identification to board commercial flights or enter federal buildings. The extension lasts through at least Dec. 31, 2009. The REAL ID Act sets new security standards for state-issued driver's licenses in an attempt to fight terrorism and reduce fraud. To learn more about the REAL ID Act, log on to dhs.gov and enter "REAL ID" in the search box. Sanford said that because the state has a law on the books rejecting REAL ID, he could not ask for an extension, because he said Homeland Security made it clear that such a request was a form of compliance. Still, in a letter to Sanford sent late Monday, Chertoff said he could grant the state the relief it sought by treating the letter as a request for an extension. What it all means is that South Carolina driver's licenses will still be valid identification for boarding an airplane or entering a federal building while the state continues to move toward more secure identification. The extension lasts through at least 2009. "The federal government should be interested in results, not words, and your letter offers results that will greatly improve South Carolina's driver's license security," Chertoff wrote to Sanford. REAL IDs are a key finding by the commission that studied the 2001 terrorist attacks, and are not considered by Homeland Security to be a national identification card, as states will continue to issue their own driver's licenses. Where we are so far The state's progress on complying with the requirements of the federal Real ID law: COMPLETED: BEING WORKED ON: WON'T BE DONE BECAUSE STATE LAW PROHIBITS: Reach Yvonne Wenger at 803- 799-9051 or ywenger@ postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 21 comment(s)
Posted by lillycollette on April 1, 2008 at 4:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Announcing security measures in place seems to be an effective weapon in drowning out those who have evidence of failures in our system of identification. Like the crowd admiring -- the king’s new clothes -- no one listens until after everybody has been mooned.
I for one am more than willing and have attempted to point out a fly in the ointment. So far all I have seen is unimpressive anatomical parts.
Posted by mac0cm4 on April 1, 2008 at 6:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The erosion of civil liberties under the guise of 'national security' and 'terrorism' is very real. Warrantless wiretapping, spying on citizens, violation of due process...these things should outrage the public. Remember the Constitution? Real ID would be subject to the same corruption that all other issued ID's would be. Remember when they told you not to disclose your SSN to anyone, and now it's commonplace to be used for ID for just about anything? The implications of this Real ID could be scary...
Posted by Beachbumwannabe on April 1, 2008 at 6:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This entire even was made so that your first sentence…calling Sanford a maverick, could be written.
This was a fantasy, all created so Sanford could yet again be a “fighter”...yet it was known by Sanford and others that an extension would be granted regardless of his actions.
Sanford has yet again one upped the lazy SC press...a press corps so lazy that they believe Sanford press releases without question. South Carolina will always be at the bottom of everything until we have an active and interested press willing to take on charlatans like Mark Sanford.
Posted by charlestonnative68 on April 1, 2008 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
YEAH SANFORD!
Posted by crankyyankee on April 1, 2008 at 7:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wonder what B bum is smoking?
Posted by cnast777 on April 1, 2008 at 8:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Civil liberties? You all are Marks for that buzzword. The Federal government does so much for our State that everyone of you think is beneficial. Would you like a SC State militia to take care of all Defacto defense of the state. Libery is not opposing an across the board drivers license. You're not taking the mark of the beast. Plus, the only reason Sanford does not want to do it is because he does not want to pay for it!!! See how you like paying for the passport. That governor plays all of you like a cheap violin.
Posted by lillycollette on April 1, 2008 at 8:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/S...
… “Real ID-compliant driver's licenses would have several layers of new security features to -- PREVENT FORGERY --. They would also be issued after a number of ID checks, including -- VERIFICATION -- of BIRTH CERTIFICATES --, Social Security numbers and immigration status. The Bush administration says the law, passed after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, will hinder terrorists, -- CON ARTISTS -- and illegal immigrants.
Opponents say it will cost too much and weaken privacy protections.”
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The issue of cost and privacy is a moot point after frauds have destroyed one’s financial base and forced one onto the state’s financial assistance roles for survival. All rights of privacy go down to minus zero there. One is hardly concerned with privacy and unimpeded travel—when they have no money to survive on let alone travel.
Uncle Fed(e-RICO) is obviously not impressed by state failures in their duties of proper identification and then hiding behind the skirts of costs, sovereignty and privacy protections to obfuscate these failures.
While there’s more than enough blame to go around, Federico could do a lot to clean up these failures by taking away profit incentives they created—which lead to some of these failures.
Start looking at some of the policies of the Dep’t. Of Health and Human Services if you are lost about where to begin.
Posted by theronce on April 1, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We actually do need a state militia, since the federal government refuses to protect the federal borders. Real ID could certainly be abused by an ever-encroaching federal government among a population that is mostly cowed down anyway with no real concept of the rights and responsibilities of freedom.
Posted by lillycollette on April 1, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
cnast777: "the only reason Sanford does not want to do it is because he does not want to pay for it!!!"
And he doesn't want to lose out on the pay-offs the state enjoys through frauds upon our citizens.
Posted by deerhunter on April 1, 2008 at 9:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
All I can say is: thank the good Lord that most of the people who shared their comments are not sitting in
an office to govern our state of South Carolina.
Posted by legaloperative on April 1, 2008 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you Governor.
Posted by nesseca on April 1, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - attributed to Ben Franklin
Still holds true today.
Posted by linsbee314 on April 1, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Harpo - Why do the words "freedom" and "civil liberties" have to reference liberals? You're an idiot! Have you read the Constitution? It's about freedom, civil liberties, but most of all, state's rights. And that's not typically a liberal agenda. Why should SC pay for something the feds. mandate? Why should we even comply? Did they ask us if we wanted or needed a REAL ID? NO!
And do you really think the federal government has a better chance at fighting terrorism than SC? I'm sorry, I totally forgot how closely they read and believed the OBVIOUS threat the CIA warned them about Osama bin Laden before 911. They couldn't prevent it then and I doubt a stupid Federal ID would either!
Good Job Sanford!
Posted by billyjoejimbob on April 1, 2008 at 10:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Go Sanford, are we seceding again too. That bully Fed Gov cant push us around. The real id would probably help as much as a fence on the mexican border...NONE
Posted by Kerry on April 1, 2008 at 11:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
An even better idea would be to force people arriving at airports in the state to show their South Carolina Driver's license and if they do not have one, put them back on the plane immediately.
Posted by linsbee314 on April 1, 2008 at 11:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Kerry - Great idea! I totally agree!
Posted by bkeelin on April 1, 2008 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Most people who oppose Sanford support big government socialist idealogies. Communism fails every time and its people are put in bondage. Why do big government liberals never see this. Socialized welfare, socialized medicine, socialized anything takes the drive and desire out of the people and creates a dependency on big government for more big government. People who want the state to take care of everything won't be so happy when the government takes all you have to give it to others and still expects you to earn a pay check so that they can continue to take it. We better stop the growing power and size of the federal government before it's too late. I just read that the moratorium on earmarks has been shelved by the democratic leadership and they are requesting Billions in pork barrel projects again. I hope no one ever believed these thieves in the first place because anyone with any sense knew that the democrats wouldn't stick to a no pork diet, and the republicans are just as happy to partake of the pork as well. What a bunch of crooks.
Posted by DebTucker on April 1, 2008 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mark Sanford has finally done something RIGHT for a change. He might have a brain after all. If this act only had the regulations for the Driver's License of what info and documentation to use, then he would be unjusitifed. But the fact is other things are piggybacked on to this bill that have no relevance to national security or unity. Which is why Governor Sanford needs to stick to his guns with this one. Thank you, Governor Sanford
Posted by cnast777 on April 1, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Uh everyone, Sanford can do this kind of B.S. grandstanding because he has the safety net of the United States Federal government. He is fronting. A farce. Playing you all. You want complete liberty? Then just get rid of drivers licenses period. Passport? We don't need no stinking passport.
BTW, Ben Franklin splept through most of the Continental Congress and the Authoring of the Declaration plus he was a Deist. i doubt ya'll would like that.
Posted by commonsence on April 1, 2008 at 3:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Let's see...SC gets to thumb it's nose at the Feds and get an extension - point for Sanford. DHS gets a more secure DL and buys time - point for Chertoff. SC residents avoid additional screening and $116M in additional costs - point for us. If you take the egos out of the equation, looks like a win/win/win. Now where were we...
Posted by pirate42 on April 1, 2008 at 6:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I always wonder who would cry the loudest when SC residents could not fly on airliners or enter a federal building etc sure its tought but do I see anyone else comming up with solutions to the problem...NO just the typical bashers .. their is in need of someway to make sure all legal people are legal, Like should I dare hire a mexican, or any forigen national legal or not How can we tell if they are fraud...