Social Security Reform

It used to be one could buy a fishing license without any ID. Then, the PFBC started collecting data, and required a driver’s license. How that relates to fishing beats me; I’m wading in a creek and I need a driver’s license for that?

Life just got more instrusive. Now a valid Social Security number is required to get your fishing license. The logic: You just may owe back child support, and we ain’t goin’ let no dead-beat dad go fishin’. The last couple of years, the high-priced talent at the local K-mart would allow you to just give 0’s or 1’s and move on to more important data, like whether you want a Trout Stamp. Same online. Not anymore.

This story first developed in New Jersey. But PA is not immuned. The law appears to apply to all 50 states.

I can see the Fish Cop detaining me now: Sir, pull over and get out of them waders, give me your driver’s license and social secuirty card. What? You don’t have them with you? Climb in the back of my patrol car, I’m hauling you to the local magistrate.

UPDATE: Grits for Breakfast has added his comments into the bowl.

6 Comments on “Social Security Reform

  1. Fuz, I am suprised that you wouldn’t want a dead beat to pay his fair share. A good father like you. You’d really support not paying for your kids?

  2. Obviously, I am not a deadbeat dad – but there is a real privacy issue here. So I am required to show my driver’s license, provide SSA number and my DOB to get fishing or hunting license. With that info, any dishonest clerk at the store, or state employee can clean me out financially. Misuse of personal info is rampant among thieves. Glad I have lifetime senior licenses – although I had to give the state all that info.

  3. OK. The point of this story is not dead-beat dads. Which, as an aside, is an awful play on words. The point is privacy and a belief our government is getting way out of control. Could you imagine if our forefathers had to buy a license to fish or hunt? Instead of a war for independence from taxation without representation (don’t get me started on our current tax laws), we would have had a war for the freedom to hunt and fish.

    Regardless, fishing and hunting licenses are here to stay. But why require all this personal information to obtain them? Identity theives won’t have to dig through your trash or sniff your wireless router for the tools of their trade. Instead, they will all work at Wal-mart, in the sporting goods department, collecting everything they need to sell you up the river.

  4. hey fuzzie, … I hear your point about privacy, but I also don’t want deadbeat dads fishin when they could be workin to pay their arrears…

  5. If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him how to fish, you feed him for life (or something like that). If the government wants to keep putting up roadblocks to fishing, then they can feed the man.

  6. I see the connection between crossreferencing a SS# database and cracking down on dead-beat PARENTS however you have to wonder where it will all end???

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