It's About Time!!!

[reconeil]

It's About Time!!!
by N.R. Filidei (1/8/2007 - commentary)

Never thought would witness such in my lifetime, even though elsewhere worldwide so common. But, the most divisively over-politicized or politically-whacked-out nation on earth and/or: "Weirdsville USA", has apparently and FINALLY come to its senses.

Bravo!!!...and thank you very much Department of Homeland Security for making it happen.

Just imagine that? As of January 23, 2007 everyone either leaving or entering America will need a valid National Passport at minimum,...such as most other nations or countries of The World have already required for eons. Truly amazing! Plus: "It's About Time!!!".

Even more amazing to me (no doubt to others also), is that it took The Greatest, Most Powerful, Wealthiest and thus most jealously despised nation on the planet to sanely, sensibly and quite logically do so,...after ONLY 231 YEARS. WOW!!!,...talk about typically slow-witted Officialdoms with Congressional Oversight Committees, to-boot.

Therefore, and in that context, guess it more than fair saying that politically obsessed and ruled (every which way imaginable) America just has not been near as wise about National Security & Survival of its Citizenry,...as have been most other nations. Worse than that, is that the previous insane nonsense makes it quite impossible determining just how many of our fanatical enemies are already here. Not very nice having to find out THE HARD WAY. Remember: "9/11"???

Regardless, and fortunately at last for all We Americans, some semblance of official sanity has finally prevailed, and none too soon I might add. Don't truly believe that America had much more time left for continuing on with its pretty-much Honor System Security and/or quite stupid nationally-suicidal status quo? Like it or not, but our MANY fanatical & despicable terrorist enemies (both internal & abroad) are anything but stupid,: "Pilgrims".

Still, and given America's longtime, perpetually divisive and zealot style undermining (even during wartime) and politics being what it is, the long waited for sanity will no doubt be fought tooth and nail. MANY political leaders and other organized career-people-dividers and deceptive panderers will assuredly and deceivingly crocodile cry or whine incessantly.

Will undoubtedly and in concert be echoed adnauseamly that The Poor just cannot afford an expensive $97 and/or about 1/4 to 1/3 the cost of an IPOD gift,...for a U.S. Passport. Yeah, sure? But,...SO WHAT?

To such phonies or political zealots I would merely say: "I don't mind paying for The Poor's clothes, food, housing, schools, hospitals, medicines and such, since already what's done". "Nor, do I even mind sending The Poor's Children to Summer Camp, since already what's done".

"HOWEVER, and as a longtime one of: 'We The (Schnooks)', I'll-be-damned if also being Socialist Big Brother forced paying for the The Poor's (whether American or foreigner) passports". "If such want to vacation in Cancun, Puerto Vallarta or with friends and relatives and/or take daily junkets into Tijuana or Juarez to do similar,...let them buy their own passports".

Hey,...We Americans are not all Rich, Big Sports or Perpetual Easy Marks.
Nor, are We All just-plain-stupid or politically-duped fools, either.

Besides, don't believe that most Americans like being continually used as A Great Big Piggy-bank by foreign leaders & foreign nationals, anyway. That's what Embassies & Consulates are for.

In fairness, don't think that The American Taxpayer in general all that overly-thrilled being used similarly by young, healthy and able Fellow Americans that way, either?

The End

Neil

[Seascamp]

Pricy doc, my last passport cost $148.00 and for those who formally go back and forth between Canada, Mexico and the US had better have gotten in the queue by now because a passport is not only pricy, but applications get processed at a the speed of glacier movement unless the hurry-up fee is paid. Last numbers I saw indicated that only about 10% of Americans have passports as opposed to %80+ in Europe.

And of course, the informal southern border crossing-sieve is passport free and will remain so, no doubt. Wouldn?t want to slow down or piss-off the coyotes, the drug cartels, the various criminal organizations, the Federalies or put a dent in the vote fraud scams happening, right.

And I think it noteworthy that L.A County now admits to over $2 billion in welfare fraud per year going on and that includes bunches of bunches of County welfare employees-agents on the take n? livin way, way high. In terms of damage control attempts, L.A. County claims that Cal State welfare is tons n? tons more corrupt and the corruption $ figure is astronomical.

Alas, the rats in charge of the cheese are steadfastly against any border controls at all, so no doubt the 23rd will be black Monday and every attempt will be made to roll-back any and all border regulations-but for humanitarian purposes, of course.

Scamp

[Jerry D]

Wow something I can claim to be in the upper 10% I got my Tourist Passport in 1999 after years of caring a US Military Passport. I decided it was safer to travel on a Tourist passport. I dread renewing my passport with the new rules but, at least I am in the system and will be easier then someone needing a passport for the First time.

[Seascamp]

Jerry,
I?m unaware of any new regs but I suppose there are some or a bunch. But like you said, being grandfathered in will speed the process up. In the past, just having a clean record in terms of criminal activity and submitting birth certificate information or Military I.D. was enough. I do see that all the global and formal ports of entry have Interpol access now and the passport number gets spun-up every time and at every POE.

In terms of identity theft, the Passport is the biggie and I worry about that the most. Talk about a great way to get marooned somewhere and up the creek without a paddle. If n? when the Mexico City Mob busts into the Passport data base and produces authentic looking Passports with a legitimate number, we?re screwed. Apparently, they have the SSA data base by the nads and will be looking for more sources of additional identity substantiation now. There are big, big bucks on the table so they will be going for it with great vigor with lots of bribe money to spend.

Scamp

[Advisor]

Everyone entering or leaving the country has to have a passport. Yeah, right. Boy that'll stop illegals from crossing. Oooooooo, I'll bet they're scared.
This is just another smoke and mirrors escapade for Uncle Samuel.
Goes under the heading of 'it's for your own protection.' More requirements on the lawabiding while letting the illegal traffic continue unchecked. Bah!

[Packo]

Advisor,

Am pointing at my nose indicating that you've hit it on the nose. The things I hate most, "...it's for your own protection" and "...if it will save one life". That's where most of this pain in the ass legislation comes from. It's the way government intrudes in almost every facit of your life. I've always said, if seatbelts were that important, why don't they have them in school busses. Now, in Bangor Maine, you can be arrested for smoking in your car if a minor is in it. See many baby boomers dropping dead lately from second hand smoke? Most of our parents smoked and I don't see our generation being wiped out early. Well, if it will save one life.

Pack

[Jerry D]

What Packo Said!, BTW Ole Pelosi is from the MOST banned smoking city in the nation and now she has started by banning smoking on the House floor and if she keeps it up she will want to ban smoking in every HOME with a minor soon. like Packo said "Well, if it will save one life" thats the mantra of the police state.

[Advisor]

Americans seem to be willing to trade freedom for "security." Guess that they haven't figured out that Unca Sammy doesn't do anything without attaching strings.

[reconeil]

Granted, many Free Americans similarly resent Big Brother Governments (Federal, State & Local) enforcing anything, whether seat-belts, smoking in cars with children, or whatever. Such only natural and would like governments to butt-out of daily personal matters.

Still, I don't consider regulations contributing to general safety precautions beneficial for all and children and grandchildren as having to do with: "Mantra of a police state" or; "Unca Sammy doesn't do anything without attaching strings",...since such regs are solely made up & enforced either locally or statewide. Not done so by: "Unca Sammy" or federally.

Also, such local or statewide political decrees have absolutely nothing whatsoever doing with America FINALLY requiring passports for either exiting or entering American Sovereign Soil,...and just like most OTHER nations have done FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

I know it's only ONE tool to help keep all We Americans Safe, Secure & Alive while under attack and during wartime. But, to not wisely require passports NOW, would be even more nationally-stupid & nationally-suicidal,...than PREVIOUSLY.

Besides, I personally don't believe that any American should be politically-corrected to death and/or senselessly die never offending even foreign enemies. Plus, me and mine should never be made Democrat Political Martyrs, either.

Neil