Some lawmakers in Madison are questioning a Wisconsin DOT plan to begin implementing Real ID, and rightly so:

Drivers would have to wait several weeks to get their licenses a year from now, under a Department of Transportation plan to comply with a federal law requiring more secure state IDs.

But key lawmakers are skeptical of the $17 million plan, saying they do not want to pay for the Real ID law at a time when the state faces a record shortfall of more than $5 billion.

"I don't think we need to fund it right now," said Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker (D-Weston). "I think we're going to need that cash to put people to work."

When people visit the Division of Motor Vehicles now, they leave with a license or state ID in hand. But starting next November under the DOT plan, they would get a paper receipt - which would include all the information on the driver's license and a black-and-white photo - that could be used as a license for 60 days.
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At least 11 states have said they won't follow the law, and observers say the law is likely to be repealed or modified with Democrats about to control Congress and the White House.

Among the governors signing laws saying their states wouldn't comply is Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano - President-elect Barack Obama's apparent choice to run the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the law.
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Busalacchi is asking for $17 million from mid-2009 to mid-2011 to cover the cost of implementing Real ID.

The measure would be funded with a $10 surcharge that as of January increased the cost of a three-year license to $28 and an eight-year renewal to $34.

This is a complete farce, and needs to end now.  There are several reasons why the DOT needs to have their plans stopped cold in their tracks by the legislature.

First of all, we simply cannot afford the real dollar costs associated with implementing Real ID.  With the state deficit looking to hit record levels, does it really make sense to take on a unfunded federal mandate?  After all, the $17 million dollar bill is almost guaranteed to grow, and grow significantly if past performance is any measure.  Real ID is not just about checking that you are a legal citizen, and upgrading the physical card you carry.  Real ID also requires that states share their driver's license databases with other states and the federal government.  I'm unaware of any major computer database upgrade that has taken place in Wisconsin which did not significantly overrun its budget, and/or fall short of the required functionality.

Second, Real ID is very simply an attack on state sovereignty.  Driver's licensing is something which has always been, and should continue to be, something within the purview of the state government without Federal interference.  However, time and time again, the Federal government has interfered in many state areas, usually by withdrawing federal highway dollars.  This happened with the 55 MPH speed limit, and the 21 year drinking age.  Now the threat is that "insecure" cards will not get you on an airplane.  First of all, this is actually untrue.  You can currently tell the TSA that you lost your driver's license, and still get through.  You will simply need to undergo extra screening, but you will still get on your plane.  Secondly, this helps to create a "papers please" attitude in this country that we usually associate with Communism.  The idea that American citizens may need to have a passport to travel within their own country is frightening.

Finally, Real ID will not make us more secure from terrorism.  In fact, Real ID will do more to make us insecure.  Bruce Schneier has written extensively on the topic, including this article written last year.  I suggest you read the entire thing, but to sum up most of the arguments against Real ID:

• Real ID creates a "super card" which will be forged.  Because it will become so ubiquitous, forging one card will gain you access to much more.  Having more decentralized identification is actually more secure.
• Real ID is not secure, because you will be able to get a "Real ID" by using easily forged "feeder documents" like birth certificates and social security cards.
• It puts DMV employees in the untenable position of trying to determine whether someone is a legal citizen by examining extra papers, something they don't have the expertise to do.
• It will create massive linked databases that will be the ultimate honey pot for anyone interested in identity theft.  How many times in the last month have you heard of lost government computers with portions of databases?
• Real ID perpetuates the myth that you can infer someone's intent if you know their identity.  This makes it likely that innocent people might be wrongly detained because of false positives, and that dangerous people will be let through because of false negatives.

For all these reasons, and more, 11 states have already rejected Real ID.  In fact, the governor of one of those states will likely become Obama's Homeland Security Secretary.  Because of this backlash, there is an overwhelming sentiment that Real ID will be revisited very soon in some way.  It is only prudent for Wisconsin to wait before taking on a costly upgrade that may ultimately be unnecessary.