What is left of privacy?

Just the other day, I had the unfortunate event of aging another year which apparently called my ability to drive into question.  I attempted to renew my license online when I discovered that in order to regain the privileged of driving I must, once again, prove my ability to navigate bureaucracy.  I went in and waited the required half-day in the government approved holding area that denies you a number that is in chronological order so that it frees you from having to calculate your long wait time and saves you the hassle of leaving and coming back or doing something else while waiting.  When I was called to the window of my friendly government inspector, I felt a bit self-satisfied knowing that I brought my birth certificate, passport, existing driver's license, social security card and several other government issued ID cards and licenses.  I even brought a lancet, in case I was asked to sign in blood.  See, I knew ahead of time that the government had increased our security by requiring more documentation to avoid identity theft and making a single trip and thought I would bring all identification I could think of.  It was to my surprise, that apparently although I had the correct paperwork to enter other countries, carry concealed weapons, enter secured airport areas, cash checks, transact any other type of business. Apparently, I couldn't sufficiently prove my current home address because it was only on several of my IDs.  So, I was granted a temporary license to drive (which was just a piece of paper printed out) until I can come back with a few bills to prove that I am a good quiet bill paying citizen and that I actually live where I say and that I am not, in fact, secretly living in an undocumented location.

I tried to think long and hard how this new requirement could be used to protect the public or how it in any way helps to determine one's eligibility to drive a car.  Realistically, the only thing that I could come up with was that it may help to track down deadbeat fathers or help track criminals.  It was actually a strange moment where my understanding of the fundamental philosophy of our country changed.  It was my understanding that one was innocent until proven guilty and that our country was founded on the fundamental rights of people to certain things like the ability to travel and to conduct commerce.  I have seen these things eroded to some extent but there have always been certain lines that people have drawn.  One of those lines was tracking private citizens and requiring paperwork to travel within our own country.  It was such an issue that many people had a huge issue when social security cards were issued over the fear that it would become a de facto national ID card.  

Many may not see the possible downside to this sort of thing and not understand why it might be a big deal.  They may think, "well, I'm not a criminal, so it isn't a bad thing".  What they aren't understanding is that law is not always black and white and it can change quickly and it is very easy for this sort of intrusion to be part of a draconian system that becomes extremely oppressive.  Take, for example, vice laws and laws concerning obscenity.  Obscenity is defined as whatever isn't found acceptable within the community.  We are getting very close to a place where saying the wrong thing can get you scooped up and held.  Tracking of people by the "real ID" act along with requirements for recording just about everything on the internet and a camera on every corner is beginning to make 1984 seem like more of a reality but with even more methods of information gathering.  The government has found that we don't need others to inform on us when they can track us when we want to drive or communicate over the internet.

It is becoming increasingly easy to identify with those who were once fringe conspiracy theorists who were worried that they were being watched.  When you add this to the picture of everything being immediately accessible by government from your medical records to the photos you share with friends and all communications, it makes you wonder in what ways it is all being used and how it will be used in the future.