Bureaucracy creep and ID cards

ID cards have been in the news frequently in Britain in recent months - the Government was for them, then said only migrants needed them, then said people in Manchester could get them if they wanted. Another example of dither and delay that has been a hallmark of this government since the 'election that never was'. However, I was listening to an old podcast of 'Today in Parliament' (one has to do something on the tube), where Alan Johnson (Home Secretary) was talking about how little ID cards would actually be used - only for travel within the EU.

This got me thinking about the equivalent in the United States of America - the Social Security Card, and how the things you needed it for had increased since it's introduction. Originally the Social Security card was just that - it was the card one used to access social security. However in the years since the number of things one needs to present either a social security card or a social security number has sky-rocketed. It is now a de fact ID card in the United States.

Let me give you an example. I lived in Washington DC for six months. During that time I never actually got a social security card (although I got a number). But I had to present this number in order to get paid, in order to pay tax, and to be able to get a membership at Blockbuster videos.

So don't be contented when a politicians tells you that an ID card won't be used for much - as time progresses they can always find new and interested things to require you to present an ID card for...