Maybe Orwell Was A Prophet

www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=3666171

Well, I suppose that's one way to keep the terrorists out. I mean, surely well-intentioned visitors from the UK or France or Germany would have no objections to having all of that data read each time their passports were passed through the scanner at the Welcome to the USA desk at the airport. They probably wouldn't even mind all that much if the scanner was of the hand-held variety held in the hand of some innocuous looking gentleman wearing a suit and sunglasses standing off a ways. I mean, we're talking the security of a nation here.

Besides, the technology is very helpful. Why, it could even be used by the states for driver's licenses or identification cards. Gee, since Congress is currently entertaining a bill that would put restrictions on how states issue licenses, maybe we should go all the way and just let the federal government issue the cards to all of us. The state could still do the road test, but the cards would have to come after federal approval and issuance.

Yeah, that's the ticket.