ID cards 'to be UK institution'

From the beeb:

"The identity card scheme will become a "great British institution" on a par with the railways in the 19th Century, Home Office minister Liam Byrne says."

Did he, did he really? Why the fuck would he say that? Lemme think: lots of good things came from the railways. They created a huge number of jobs. They allowed fresh produce from the countryside to be brought into the towns, thereby improving the diets of working families. Cheap transport meant people no longer had to live within walking distance from their place of work. This also allowed working class families to escape the towns and see the goddam sea.

I'm failing to see the similarity with the whole ID cards thing here. But they will protect us from terrorists.

"Are you a terrorist?"

"Damn, foiled again. Yes, you'll see under 'occupation' that blowing up stuff is indeed what I do for a living".



Stephenson's Rocket: most unlike an ID card, when you really think about it.