'If I Need ID to Buy Cough Syrup, Why Shouldn't I Need ID to Vote?'

Re:'If I Need ID to Buy Cough Syrup, Why Shouldn't I Need ID... by buckbova on Monday December 30, 2013 @05:13PM (#6987388)

I was given a national ID card, it's call a social security card. That is my unique identifying number as an American.

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Re:'If I Need ID to Buy Cough Syrup, Why Shouldn't I Need ID... by ceejayoz on Monday December 30, 2013 @05:20PM (#6987430)

It's not particularly useful as an ID without an expiration, photo, etc. and you're supposed to keep it somewhere safe, not with you.

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Re:'If I Need ID to Buy Cough Syrup, Why Shouldn't I Need ID... by smsm42 on Monday December 30, 2013 @06:13PM (#6987751)

SSN weren't designed as unique identifying numbers - in fact, until 1972 the cards explicitly said it should not be used as such. It is also way too short to be unique ID within imaginable timeframe. The fact that it is used as such is because americans have no choice - no other common ID to use. Some use name + birthdate instead, but that's even worse.

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Re:'If I Need ID to Buy Cough Syrup, Why Shouldn't I Need ID... by buckbova on Monday December 30, 2013 @06:16PM (#6987766)

Add another few digits and we're good, kinda like ipv6.

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Re:'If I Need ID to Buy Cough Syrup, Why Shouldn't I Need ID... by MichaelGG on Monday December 30, 2013 @05:16PM (#6987398)

SSNs are not mandatory.

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