Here's a story that implicates a vast number of the isses about national ID cards all in one debate. Florida's own Gov. Bush lobbies for drug-tracking database.
The stated goals for this propsal are pretty laudable: to crack down on prescription drug abuse, e.g. the Rush-style doctor shopping.
The actual details of the proposal make it clear that the project has no chance of achieving its stated goals, since participation by pharmacists and doctors will be optional. If you are a pill mill, you won't play. Plus, it won't provide answers in real time, and will use old data, so it won't be very effective in the best of circumstances. (Sounds pretty boondoggle-like … these are solved problems.)
No one knows what it will cost or how to pay for it.
The proponents are trying to push it through the legislature in a rush.
So far, this is all pretty standard for all too many ID card proposals.
Bonus Florida angle: if the proposal does make it through the legislature, it will be open to attack on the grounds that the legislature is now functus officio.
