Texas may have executed an innocent man

[Teebs]

Why the hell is that even a state issue?

If i am not seriously mistaken, german birth certificates (and all other identification papers) are a federal issue, not a state one.

Germany is about averagely federal, the US is on the extreme end of the federal spectrum.

[Death from the Sea]

Because we don't have national IDs in the US, and people are paranoid about giving the Federal government too much control over identity documents?

a Federal or National ID card would be a good idea. Issued along side of Social Security cards, it would help greatly in positively identifying those that choose to not go get a state DL or ID card. And by identifying, I mean for those that break the law, as many people that are in the late teens do not have an ID and claim that they are 16 so they are processed as a juvie and have a greater chance of not being incarcerated immediately.

[General Zod]

Because we don't have national IDs in the US, and people are paranoid about giving the Federal government too much control over identity documents?

a Federal or National ID card would be a good idea. Issued along side of Social Security cards, it would help greatly in positively identifying those that choose to not go get a state DL or ID card. And by identifying, I mean for those that break the law, as many people that are in the late teens do not have an ID and claim that they are 16 so they are processed as a juvie and have a greater chance of not being incarcerated immediately.

I'm not saying it wouldn't be a good idea. But Serafina's comments come off as seriously ignorant.

[Adrian Laguna]

The United States has well over three times the population of Germany and many more times it's land area. There are no national IDs or birth certificates because of the sheer size of the country. It's much easier on the bureaucracy to just decentralize it to the states.

[RedImperator]

Besides, if all birth certificates were handled at the Federal level, there's a substantial chance that no transgendered people in the United States could get their birth certificate changed. The progressive states typically lead the federal government on social issues, not the other way around.