Thirty-five bucks. These days it might get you a couple dozen eggs. A gallon or two of gas. A bag of avocados. Maybe even a California burrito with extra guacamole. But it will definitely get you one step closer to … well, we’ll see.
As the deadline for REAL ID approaches no doubt millions of Americans are scrambling to make arrangements to get their identification squared away by May 7.
Twenty-five years ago the REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The legislation requires a universal form of identification for anyone entering a federal building such as a courthouse, a military base or boarding an airplane. Prior to the law’s passage states were responsible for setting their own standards.
In theory the documents required for obtaining the identification card are supposed to make the process more stringent and, ultimately, provide an added layer of security.
Frankly, I’m not convinced that a REAL ID card would have stopped any of the hundreds of Donald Trump supporters from storming the nation’s Capitol in 2021 as they attempted to undermine the presidential election. And they certainly didn’t need one to win a presidential pardon.
Nor can I imagine how a REAL ID would have benefited passenger aboard any of the airplanes involved in mishaps that resulted in more than 100 deaths so far this year. But here we are. After decades of delay the program is being implemented.
In California that means anyone wanting to get a REAL ID card will have to pay the Department of Motor Vehicles $30. If you want the REAL ID to double as your driver’s license the cost is $35.
To qualify for the program you’ll need proof of identity which may include a valid passport or certified copy of your birth certificate, which would set you back $32. If your passport is expired and you need to renew, that will cost you between $30-$160.
At the low end the new identity card could cost Californians almost $70. Up to $200 on the high end. Imagine how many eggs you could buy with that money, at least a month’s worth.
It’s hard to see what, other than a headache and lighter wallet, this new card will get the average citizen.
