Passport rules set to take effect

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It's not true that "31% of Americans" own a passport, the State Dept has offered FALSE statistical information for years.

A large number of passports are issued to govt employees, who may have multiple passports. If you also exclude individuals who may have been issued a passport for work or non-travel identification, the number of AVERAGE AMERICANS with passports is closer to 15%. Embarrassing!

By August, the Canadian press will tell us how badly the US 'security theater' hurts their economy: you can bet it'll be a 15% decline or so. The US media will bury the story. In a terrible economic downturn, this additional penalty will crush many small businesses on both sides of the border.

Thank you, George Bush!
- Toothy Sleuthy, Boston MA

This was and is just another way for the goverment to tell where you are and where you are going. Just like the ezpass.
- Sara, Derry, NH

I travel to Canada many times during the year to visit family and I'm always surprised how much harder it is to get into Canada than it is to get back into the states. If you have a DUI conviction, you are restricted entrance for 7 years. I wish the US was as strict!
- Julie, Manchester

The clear data in the RFIDs on these things can be read by a boosted reader from well across the room. Look for a surge in illegal entries using falsified data, for one. Then you'll end up on the no-fly list because someone used your data.

This is easy enough for me. I don't need to go to Canada, so I won't anymore.
- Mike R., Bedford

Actually Ron, the WHTI cards (the US Passport card and the Enhanced Drivers Licenses) do not contain any electronically encoded personal information. They only contain a number that can be used by the US to look up this information in a database. You are thinking of e-Passports, which cannot be read from a distance.
- Dave, Manchester

I don't think Canada has anything to worry about. Has anyone seen the lines at the passport window at the Post Office for the last 2 years? There never used to be a line, now every time I go to Manchester's Post Office, there's always someone waiting for passports.

Does anyone have numbers of passport holders broken down by state? I'll bet you'd find a higher number of people in border states have their passports, and are ready to keep crossing.
- Donna S, Manchester

Still unexplained is just what problem this is supposed to solve, and how.

This will not secure the borders or stop anyone from crossing illegally. It's "security theater" -- putting on a show to pretend they're doing something to justify all the money they've been budgeted.
- Kevin, Lancaster

"Embedded technology allows border guards to scan the cards electronically.

'Before you even get up to the window, the guy can wave you through,' Sprague said."

Identity thieves will love this. They can steal at least some of your information from as far away as 30 feet without even being seen. All it takes is an inexpensive reader to get the data. Since the code "protecting" the data has already been cracked, programs to read the data are sure to already exist. Just another way the government fails to protect you while uselessly expanding its power.

Just remember, your Social Security number will never be used as identity other than for the SS system. Right.
- Ron Helwig, Deerfield

"category includes the "enhanced" driver's licenses a handful of states have adopted"

Does that include NH? Could we have move information please.
- D.J., Manchester

People had plenty of time to plan. If one cannot afford a passport, then they probably cannot afford to travel either. Most countries in the world require passports for travel, we should not have to have our border officers review 17,000 different documents. I don't think it will affect tourism much, most people are cutting back now because of the economy.
- G. Robertson, Merrimack

For $50 one is able to obtain a Nexus card for five years. This allows travel to/from Canada/US without the need of a passport. There are special lines for those traveling by air or car which elminates the long lines. You are able to apply on line but don't apply until you plan to visit within the next 45-60 days as once approved you must present yourself at one of the border locations for photo, fingerprints and iris scan to complete the application process.
- Jude Draper-Cocuzzo, Manchester

Who are these Canadians to say I need a passport? They should be more like lawless America and just let millions of people cross the border with no clue as to who they are. It's our right and not a privilege after all.
- Deb, Derry

Tourism implode, problems? Why? The Country has know about these pending changes for years now....actually they probably should have taken affect much sooner than they have.
- DM, Manchester