Driver Licence Hoop-la

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Benjamin Franklin

Do terrorists really need a state driver license? I keep reading all this hoop-la about driver license and foreign nationals and I can’t stop thinking about the whole ordeal and how insignificant it all seems. The first question I ask myself is do I need a driver’s license to drive? Why spend millions on driver license reform when I can break into a vehicle, steal a $40K car and drive all over the place without one? Teenagers do it everyday, why wouldn’t a terrorist. My recommendation to our political leaders is that they reconsider wasting dollars on a useless national scare tactic. Here in Albuquerque, there is a large percentage of drivers on the road without a driver’s license, and/or insurance. I bet the nation mirrors us in this number. Do we punish the masses for a few? Last time I checked we were all innocent until proven guilty. Don’t punish all foreign nationals because of the few outlaws. How will this New ID Act affect you? This doesn't just affect foreign nationals, it affects you, your privacy, and your security.

Unfortunately, on September 11, 1991 the United States of America failed and we lost a lot. We are now open to attacks on our soil as is the whole world. Look at the world. For example, look at Oklahoma, Ireland, Iraq, Africa, the Middle-East, Israel, the United States (even before the US as we know it existed). Without debate, attacks from within and attacks from abroad are a reality. This has always been and it will never change. The United States and our multi-cultural citizens have grown complacent in our reign of peace in the USA (on our soil). It has been said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Have times actually changed, or have we just entered into the world’s kitchen? They tell me, “If you can’t handle the heat, get out of the kitchen," but this doesn’t seem to be an option any more.

In my opinion, it is now time to play the game of mouse trap with the terrorists and leave the rest of us in the world alone. Have you ever had mice in your home? You can poison them, but you suffer the stench which is sometimes worse than the little furry critter themselves and much less humane when we are talking about humans. The best way to catch a mouse or mice is to lay a trap! Place a little bait, wait…and POW! If the mousetrap doesn't malfunction, the mouse is captured and out of the game. This method of capture is what has been coined “Strategery,” by George Bush. Please feel free to spend millions this way.

In “Oh to Disagree and yet Commit” I wrote, “Fail early, fail frequently, forget that other quote failure is not an option. If you are not failing sometimes, then I question your ability to perform. What are you doing? No one ever does everything right! You may be suffering from a state of complacency. Shake it up!” However, in this example, failure might mean loss of life or lives. Ready or not, here they come. Don’t miss quote me, I never said, “Fail always.”

In the United States we are experiencing a think-tank drain. We had an advantage for years because all the brilliant minds around the world wanted to immigrate to the U.S. Today, our tank is drying up. Although saying this, the analogy is dependent upon the perception of the tank being half-empty or half-full. If we continue to make it difficult for foreign nationals to get visas and work in the United States we are cutting off our own head and losing our mind. Some of the brightest professors of all disciplines (did I mention disciplined and experts in their field), including scientific and engineering minds desire to immigrate and become U.S. citizens and yet we operate under the monopoly paradigm and continually send them back to the beginning without collecting any dollars. We might even throw them in jail. Once again, the masses are punished for the few. If this continues, countries like China and India will fast become the leaders in technology. The Universities in United States will lose their perceived elite status and American students will find themselves going to University in other countries. What do you mean you can’t speak Chinese or Hindi? We expect other cultures to speak and read English. Are you mad (insane)? I am beginning to see the “Ugly American” stereotype emerge, and we are definitely in trouble. The “Melting-Pot” metaphor has failed. However, failure is good. Let’s learn from the failure and accept the fact that the “Tossed-Salad” metaphor is a much better American model. Let the great minds in! Does anyone other than a rabbit gnaw on plain green lettuce? Our greatness is in our diversity. No other country in the world is as diverse as the U.S. Keeping the doors open for intellectual capital is too costly to fail on.

Have you ever played the game of Risk? It's a game of strategy to battle and win by launching daring attacks, defending territory, and moving across continents with an innovative plan! Instead of wasting millions on driver license reform needlessly, spend millions on strategy. Who needs crude oil and natural gas the most? Is it the 1.3 billion Chinese? What continent has the most crude oil and natural gas? In my opinion, Usama Bin Ladin and other self-proclaimed terrorists may want to start learning Chinese and attempt to build an even “greater wall” along their border. In this game, you must attack and defend – attacking to acquire territory (i.e., resources), and defending to keep it. Business leaders like a win-win strategy and I see two big wins! America pulls her troops out and makes the world happy and China has a whole lot of natural resources at their fingertips to sustain progression. Of course, this is just a hypothetical game! Playing innovative board games as the world turns is fun, isn’t it.

Reasons to get your passport now!