Big Ideas From Homeland

This is the way I see it. If an American Citizen is planning on leaving the country they should be prepared to present a U.S. passport to re-enter the country. I don't think it really matters whether you are crossing a land border into Canada or Mexico only to do some sightseeing or shopping, or traveling by air or sea to England for a vacation. You are leaving the U.S. and entering a *foreign* country. You should have a U.S. passport to prove your citizenship to an official of that country as well as to an official of the U.S. when returning. At this time most land ports of entry don't require you to show any form of identification if you declare yourself to be a U.S. citizen. And if they should ask for identification a driver's license will suffice for now.

The big stink is that a lot of people along the northern and southern borders cannot afford to get a passport and are making a big fuss. At least for me, $100 for a passport which is valid for ten years is not going to set me back. I consider it a bargain. Perhaps the Department of Homeland Security should look into offering passports that are valid for one or two years at a discounted price instead of coming up with a brand new form of identification such as PASS (People Access Security Service) for $50. I just think all these new ideas on how best to protect our borders is getting out of hand and frankly, some are ridiculously vacuous.