Smith, however, is determined to impose the National ID scheme. If the division continues, then Paul's bill will get no support from the Speaker's office and will die without a hearing. If that happens the rights of Americans dating back to the founding of the nation will also die. In what sometimes seems a Republican quest to assure their own defeat, the implementation of a national identification system has been declared to be beyond debate. It's our liberties that Hastert is ignoring.
Party unity is no excuse to do the wrong thing.
It is time for Speaker Hastert to exercise leadership and support Congressman Paul's bill to repeal it. It's time for Republican leaders in Congress to put the American people and the Constitution at the top of their list of priorities. Tom DeWeese is the president of the American Policy Center, a grass roots, activist think tank headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. All rights reserved.