I’ve criticized the newly launched Crescent City ID program numerous times by now. Our city government already suffers from a staggering lack of efficiency and a thicket of red tape. Personally, I’d say we ought to cut off or regrow a few dead branches before considering adding new ones.
Of course, when you look at the 40 cities with similar municipal ID programs, it’s no surprise that they are all Democrat-run. And the DEI language around such programs is a dead giveaway that proves such initiatives are ideologically, rather than practically, motivated.
If you wanted to empower people, you’d put them on track to get an ID recognized by the federal government as valid identification, not hand them a glorified library card that holds very vague meaning. Put simply, you're inviting trouble.
And I’m all for people stopping by their local library, but I'm not for trying to transition library cards as an alternative to a state ID. Not to say that's happening yet, but it's a slippery slope.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murril came on the show to voice her opinion on the matter and why she has serious concerns.
“Over the last several years, she (Mayor Cantrell) visited a number of conferences that were promoting this alternative identification,” says Murrill. “I think some of the promotions of it included partnerships with Mastercard and places where you could load them up with benefits and create an alternative identification program.”
One of the largest concerns is whether people can, or will, be able to use this ID to register to vote. Right now, the answer is no. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn't expect officials to push for that in the future.
“I do think it was partly intended to be an ID they could use for voting purposes, which is problematic. I’ve already been in conversations with the secretary of state to make sure that it's not,” explains Murrill.
Murrill points out that as benefits that fall under the Crescent City ID expand, people could use it to take advantage of city-offered programs.
“They're going to make it easier for people to get this card that purports to be an ID card. But who is it identifying?” Murrill asks. “You could have 10 of them that identify a host of other aliases.”
Currently, the benefits of a Crescent City ID are limited. They allow access to NORD rec centers, public libraries, and can be used to get discounts at participating businesses.
IDs will be available starting in September. However, it's highly unclear where the benefits are meant to end, and if there are any measures being put in place to prevent abuse. Alternatively, if the benefits don't expand, it's difficult to understand the program's purpose and why anyone would deem it worth the tax dollars.
“They are creating a monster unnecessarily, and will spend taxpayer dollars to do it,” Murrill states. “It’s going to contribute to fraud in public programs, not assist people in accessing those benefits. And the simple solution would be to assist them to go getting a state ID.”
Related
