National Governors Association (NGA)
Backs National ID Card
Limited government advocates, who have
made significant progress in fighting the implementation of a national
identification (ID) card, were recently bushwhacked by the National
Governors Association (NGA) when the organization began a stealth lobbying
effort to push the measure.
Deep into the NGA’s website is a
position statement on federalism that reads in part: "Pressures for
uniformity and simplification come from globalization in trade and
telecommunications policy, regional environmental quality solutions and a
greater need for some type of personal identification mechanism (emphasis
ours) to combat fraud, crime, illegal immigration and mismanagement of
funds."
Activists who have been fighting the
national ID law since its passage in 1996 are particularly enraged over
the timing of the NGA’s lobbying efforts. The push comes not only after
the public has expressed vehement opposition to the scheme -- but right on
the heels of an act of Congress that implies even federal lawmakers want
to take another look before it’s too late. In short; the people have
spoken, Congress has spoken (and acted) -- yet the NGA proceeds to use its
powerful lobbying clout to shove an enormously unpopular mandate down the
throats of the public.
To the further outrage of those fighting
runaway government power, there was recently a shocking revelation that
the NGA is working behind the scenes to use Bill Clinton’s Executive
Order 13083 as a vehicle to implement a national ID. And there can be not
a single doubt among any of the nation’s governors as to the
unpopularity of EO 13083. That shameless power grab sought to completely
reverse the meaning of the 10th Amendment by transferring virtually all
power from the states to the federal government. The measure was suspended
shortly after it was issued due to an enormous public backlash, although a
similar order can be issued at any time.
Despite the NGA being quick to point to
its initial condemnation of EO 13083, it glosses over the fact that it did
so only because the organization wasn’t invited to help craft the
language. The actions of the NGA has for quite some time demonstrated its
clear intentions of helping to advance Bill Clinton’s left-wing agenda.
Nowhere has that been made more evident than in the behind-the-scenes
attempt to connect a national ID card with EO 13083 -- and its assault on
the public’s progress in killing the initiatives.
The liberal activism of the NGA is mostly
a result of the unelected operatives who staff the organization. Most are
former Democratic congressional staffers. Consider, the NGA has: supported
the Workforce Development Partnership Act; come out against federal tax
cuts so the states don’t see their handouts shrink; been against welfare
legislation (and did its best to water down work requirements -- even
going so far as to suggest drug and alcohol counseling should count as
work); lobbied to prevent a balanced budget amendment; and called on
Congress to restore food stamps and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to
immigrants. And who foots the bill for all this? The taxpayers -- to the
tune of $8.1 million in 1997. Outside donations come from liberal
foundations such as the Joyce, Casey, Kaiser, Mott and Carnegie
Foundations.
It’s possible that many individual
governors are unaware of just how hard the NGA staff steers the
organization to the left. Furthermore, it’s actually likely that many
governors are unaware of the unconscionable backdoor maneuvering aimed at
stealing the victory citizens have made against a national ID -- or the
unscrupulous attempt to connect it to EO 13083. However, even if the
governors do know of the NGA’s contemptuous assault on the will of the
people, they’re politicians -- and not prone to help fight the problem
unless subjected to intense individual pressure from the public. Yet if
only 25 - 30 governors could be made to lean on the NGA, the organization
would be forced to halt its attack on our liberties through its push for a
national ID. The question is: Are there any of America’s governors with
the courage to buck the National Governors Association?
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