"But privacy advocates fear the inevitable mission creep, ending with the proof of self being required at polling places, to rent a house, buy a gun, open a bank account, acquire credit, board a plane or even attend a sporting event or log on the internet."
It's even worse: it means that the government will be able to identify anyone whose face is visible in surveillance camera footage or any other photograph (e.g., a photo posted on Facebook). They'll be able to easily make a list of everyone who attended a protest, or a political rally for the opposition party.
And most of the rest aren't paying attention or don't care. Which is why the growth of the police state has accelerated at a breathtaking pace the last decade.
It'll take a fundamental, across the political spectrum, shift in the attitude of Americans just to stop it (much less turn it back). It's not going to happen, whatever control Americans had over their government is long gone. Now it's just a matter of buying time (defeat this legislation, new attempts get stuffed into legislation next quarter or next year).
I think it will get worse before it gets better. The momentum behind the security state will wind down through inertia as the economics of maintaining it will prove untenable but before that happens, many large American cities will be under increasing surveillance and more citizens will find themselves in police and prison situations worthy of Kafka.
It's even worse: it means that the government will be able to identify anyone whose face is visible in surveillance camera footage or any other photograph (e.g., a photo posted on Facebook). They'll be able to easily make a list of everyone who attended a protest, or a political rally for the opposition party.