You could argue the US already comes close to it given SSN and driver's license numbers. But coming right out and having an official permanent identity number just gives a lot of people the willies. Heck, a handful of states won't even adopt REAL ID to better standardize driver's licenses.
I'm not sure I even disagree. Even if the practical effect (for good or ill) is negligible in most cases, it starts to tread a bit too close to "your papers please" and standardized tracking across all systems. Some inefficiency and ambiguity isn't always a bad thing.
I'm not sure I even disagree. Even if the practical effect (for good or ill) is negligible in most cases, it starts to tread a bit too close to "your papers please" and standardized tracking across all systems. Some inefficiency and ambiguity isn't always a bad thing.