Throw out everything you learned in civics class. The legislators who represent you in Congress and your statehouse are just figureheads. The real work of governing is done behind the scenes, by the bureaucracy. This is why the REAL ID Act – all but dead – is still a threat to your privacy.
This week, state bureaucrats are gathering at a vendor-sponsored conference on REAL ID at the Renaissance Washington Hotel here in D.C. Session titles include Clarifying The Different Funding Options – Where Exactly Is The Money Going To Come From? and Developing A Practical Roadmap For Real ID Implementation. With public opinion set against REAL ID, here’s a session that’s particularly interesting:
Bringing Your Public Onboard For Smoother Legislature Changes
. . . [E]very State DMV needs to find a way to educate their public so that they can ensure the legislature changes necessary to become Real ID compliant. So how exactly can you do this? This session will examine how you can change your public’s perception as quickly and as cost effectively as possible.
- Listen to your people: Examining the direct impact on your public so that you understand the perception you are trying to change
- Know which marketing methods will be most effective at reaching your public
- Examine how much of your budget a public relations exercise is worth: Measuring cost against outcome
Yes, DMV bureaucrats are learning how to promote REAL ID through PR campaigns and “legislature changes.”
State legislators who care about privacy should bar their employees from attending events like this – before the bureaucrats oust them from office.
The Technology Liberation Front is the tech policy blog dedicated to keeping politicians' hands off the 'net and everything else related to technology.