OT: Getting your RealID driver's licenses?

It's still optional here in Michigan. I think you're living in the wrong place.

Cindy Hamilton

As I do not fly and do not think I ever will, I do not see the need for the 'real ID'. I had to provide my birth certificit about 50 years ago to get my licenses the first time.

I may see if I can claim illegal status or whatever it is called now where the governmnet looks out after you. I understand they get $ 3500 a month from the government and free medical care.

Michigan is no different than NJ, it's federal. If you want to use a driver's license to get on a plane or for any other federal govt process that uses a driver's license, it needs to be RealID starting Oct 2020. That's the big issue that affects a lot of people.

I like to tell people that in its wisdom, Delaware put a river between us and New Jersey;)

I got my RealID license four years ago. No big deal. It was more of a headache for married women whose last name is not still the name on their birth certificate. My wife was complaining but had no problem getting hers.

I am looking forward in our friendly resident neighbor traitor voting for Trump. He just said he might but he has yet to hear the worse from the open borders crowd.

I had to renew my Virginia driver license last year and Real ID was not instituted yet, not sure if it is now. In my case it's not a big deal, I have a valid passport and if necessary will get a new license. I keep all important documents for my family.

The real frustration is that the federal government already has most or all of this information; it's just in various agency "stovepipes". If you've ever registered to vote, you have had to prove citizenship. Same if you've every applied for a U.S. passport or either been drafted or voluntarily joined the military. If you've ever worked in a job that requires social security withholding, the social security administration has your ss#. If you worked last year in a job that withheld federal income tax, the IRS has both your ss# and your current address - thanks to the W-2 your employer filed. I'll agree that there are some citizens of driving age who have never registered to vote, never applied for a U.S. passport, never were (or are) in the military, have always been self-employed and always earned too little annually to need to file a federal income tax return. However, how likely are those people to have the funds to purchase an airline ticket?

P.S. Just 3 days ago I renewed my driver's license (in MD) and needed to present my Real I.D. documentation. The entire procedure, including vision test, photograph, scanning of all Real I.D. documents and payment took 12 minutes.

A passport is a viable alternative for all federal purposes.

I don't have a passport, but unless they change the rules my birth certificate should suffice when I apply for Social Security.

Good think I'm not interested in flying anywhere.

Cindy Hamilton

That in itself is strange since the requirements for a passport are not nearly as strict.

Like Trader says, it is only optional if you never want to get on a plane again. I do think they will accept a passport tho.

I am a little curious about the "Utility bill" thing. Mine are paperless and have been for years. I suppose I could do a print screen and print it on my printer but once it is in my PC I can make that bill say anything I want. I can "prove" I live at 1600 Pa Av in DC if I like. I also understand women have a harder time with this since you have to come up with every marriage and divorce document you have ever had. I see the intent but like everything else the government does it is a massive boondoggle.

That stuff is not all true. There are plenty of people registered to vote who are not citizens. Our TV station found over a dozen in a very cursory check and even got a couple of them to admit it in camera. This is one little TV station in back water Florida. California just admitted they found over 1500 in LA alone. so voter registration is meaningless. The IRS just wants your money, they don't check ID at all. There are some SS#s with many people paying in on that number. All that happens is the employer gets a letter saying there may be a problem but they say "do not use this letter as grounds for termination". All you really needed when I got my passport 6 years ago was the old style driver's license and a birth certificate. That is not much proof either for a determined ID thief.

Like I said, this is a feel good government boondoggle.

I might pay extra never to get on a plane again.

I have my first marriage certificate, my divorce certificate, and my second marriage certificate all paperclipped together in a file, which also contains my birth certificate. It would be trivial to produce the necessary documentation.

Cindy Hamilton

Corse they do, otherwise foreign tourists wouldn't be able to\ fly around the country.

That is all I did in Delaware, take in the old license and my passport.

True that. And none of it is going to make a damn bit of difference. The 911 hijackers had passports, for example. All they are doing is making it a pain in the ass for us.

We need a RealID Voter Registration Card. Oh wait, that would be unfair to the illegals.

I didn't show anyone anything to get SS/MC. It was all online and the money just started showing up in the bank. I had people telling me that without my SS card, that I lost in 1963, I wouldn't be able to get my SS. They also said I couldn't get a job, open a bank account, buy a house and a whole raft of other things, none of which were true.

I have always been asked for the SS number, but do not recall ever being asked for the actual card.

Right, although once after I lost my whole wallet, I did have to get a new card for some reason. Only that once in 40 or 50 years did I need the card.

I don't remember what order I had to replace things, but iirc the DMV wodn't accept my passport. Who wanted the SScard I don't know.