I was reading a few news bits this morning and a couple comments from the US president caught my attention. The first article mentioned his desire to push his energy bill through Congress.
Bush is quoted, "Four years of debate is enough." One should wonder why the process has taken four years. Could there still be unresolved issues? Or could the proposed legislation be fundamentally flawed? Maybe four years of beating on it is a signal that it should be withdrawn and reworked. Considering that portions of the bill, namely opening of Alaska to oil drilling, is opposed by members of his own party, a rewrite might be in order.
In a completely different direction, Bush called for computerised medical records. This goal, in my opinion, is a respectable aim. However, lawmakers can really screw this one up. The article mentions security concerns that are raised by aggregating so much private data in a central location. This is definitely a valid point of concern, but there is more to it than just security. This is about identity, both in digital and physical form.
The point of view of the president is a bit scary. While giving a speech, Bush stated that information technology has made businesses more efficient and more cost-effective, and singled out health care as requiring such reforms. Given how much is at stake, financial concerns should not be the driving force behind such a policy. There are some very bright people discussing how digital identity should be approached in a safe and useful manner, but the discussion is still in its infancy. Lawmakers cannot be allowed to sidestep, and thereby cripple, this process.
