In Reply to: This is a solution in search of a problem. posted by BluBlood on September 16, 2026 at 09:40:15
I think unique citizenship ID and an associated card is part of good governance especially in terms of being able to deliver services, avoiding issues with mistaken identities, obtaining a unified view of the demographics in terms of their interactions with the state, etc.
The second thing is, I see the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" response to this idea as a form of the "we're not going to make changes until there is an absolute failure somewhere" mindset that seems to be guiding us in this country. Sometimes it's a good thing to make certain changes and streamline processes even if there is no apparent immediate need for it.
Lastly, I would say, whether warranted or not, this is where we are. There is a perception out there about non-citizens drawing benefits that are meant for citizens only. And in this political atmosphere, you know this is just going to get worse. We can either plug our ears and insist that this is all a made up problem and the system works fine as is, which in reality is a poison position to take in this day and age where most American citizens feel that business as usual is not working. Or we can get ahead of the problem, and make this proposal that takes the issue away from the right and puts something concrete on the table ... and in the process, provides a strong protection for citizens against all kinds of mistaken identity shenanigans that the right loves to pull because, you know, "they all look the same to me".
This is one of those things where I know I'm really out of sync with people I agree with politically on almost everything. It's not the only thing, but like I said, I grew up with a "citizenship card" and I have on occasion offered my ID to military people saying "Papier Bitte" in a different language, and I still regard it as a necessary component of being a citizen of a modern state (not the soldiers asking for papers, but being able to have instant access to proof that you are who you say you are).