Border crossings

Apparently, the POTUS is reconsidering the HSD position on border crossings.
HSD wants only passports to be accepted by Americans returning from other
countries. Dubya is saying that may be too much hassle for visiting Canada
and Mexico. He's suggesting electronic fingering as an alternative.

Here's the story:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/nati...assports.html?

You have to be registered to read it; here's an excerpt:
~~~~~~
"In December, Bush signed into law an intelligence overhaul that requires
tighter border security against terrorists and was the basis for the
passport proposal. The White House did not say why the president was unaware
of the plans his administration announced just a week earlier.
The proposed guidelines would require passports or a select number of other
secure documents from anyone -- including Americans -- entering the United
States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Panama. The rules
were scheduled to become final this fall after a public comment period and
to be phased in by 2008.

Currently, Americans generally need to show a driver's license or other
government-issued photo identification to cross the border from Canada.
Customs officials usually require more proof from Americans returning from
the other countries -- a driver's license plus a birth certificate to prove
citizenship, for example."

"Skip Elliott Bowman" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> Apparently, the POTUS is reconsidering the HSD position on border
> crossings. HSD wants only passports to be accepted by Americans returning
> from other countries. Dubya is saying that may be too much hassle for
> visiting Canada and Mexico. He's suggesting electronic fingering as an
> alternative.
>

Great excuse for getting everyone's fingerprint on file... Maybe they can
take DNA samples too?

A couple years ago after evildoer's day (9/11) I got a passport to make my
trips across the boarder easier (I'm Canadian, sometimes drive to US). It
really isn't that hard. I just hand it to the customs agent, they ask a
couple stupid questions, hand the passport back, and away I go. Of course it
helps I'm not Arabic. But they've wanted ID for a while, and a passport is
much less hassle than DL + proof of citizenship. Especially if the border
crossing isn't at your native state / province.

In article et>, Skip Elliott Bowman wrote:
> and Mexico. He's suggesting electronic fingering as an alternative.

Ever notice how the solution for everything these days is some sort of
tracking or logging?

"Brent P" > wrote in message
...
> In article et>, Skip
> Elliott Bowman wrote:
>> and Mexico. He's suggesting electronic fingering as an alternative.
>
> Ever notice how the solution for everything these days is some sort of
> tracking or logging?

Yes, I noticed that too. You know about the Nexus lanes at the Canadian
border, right? How do you think those people get those passes? TSA is
considering something like that for frequent travelers.

In article et>,
Skip Elliott Bowman > wrote:
>Apparently, the POTUS is reconsidering the HSD position on border crossings.
>HSD wants only passports to be accepted by Americans returning from other
>countries. Dubya is saying that may be too much hassle for visiting Canada
>and Mexico. He's suggesting electronic fingering as an alternative.

I'd like to give him a finger...

--
There's no such thing as a free lunch, but certain accounting practices can
result in a fully-depreciated one.

In article . net>, Skip Elliott Bowman wrote:

> Yes, I noticed that too. You know about the Nexus lanes at the Canadian
> border, right? How do you think those people get those passes? TSA is
> considering something like that for frequent travelers.

No, never been there. But I've heard of all sorts of 'privledged class'
arragements for special people to get by security checks.

"Skip Elliott Bowman" > wrote in message
nk.net...


> He's suggesting electronic fingering as an alternative.

I don't feel that way about Dubya, though...

"Bernard farquart" > wrote in message
news:Q4%7e.31995$qO6.20670@trnddc05...
>
> "Skip Elliott Bowman" > wrote in message
> nk.net...
>
>
>> He's suggesting electronic fingering as an alternative.
>
> I don't feel that way about Dubya, though...
>
I mistyped that--"electronic fingerprinting".

Brent P wrote:
> In article et>,
Skip Elliott Bowman wrote:
> > and Mexico. He's suggesting electronic fingering as an
alternative.
>
> Ever notice how the solution for everything these days is some sort
of
> tracking or logging?

If anyone has a better idea to identify potential threats, I'm all
ears.

The era of free border crossings is long overdue. But I guess it will
take one more serious terrorist attack by someone who freely crossed to
MAYBE get that message through.

"The era of free border crossings is long overdue."

Don't understand what you are saying. Border crossings with Canada and
Mexico are relatively free now and the proposal will tighten them.