January 6, 2011 7:44AM 

# ID Requirements and the Indigent 

By [Jim Harper](https://www.cato.org/people/jim-harper) 

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I’ve emphasized in the past that a national ID requirement—for travel, [for work](https://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9256), whatever the case—would exclude the indigent from rungs on the ladder.

If you don’t know the story of the homeless man whose golden radio voice got him a second chance, you should. But, as the [*New York Daily News* reports](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/01/05/2011-01-05_ted_williams_homeless_man_with_radio_announcer_voice_blocked_from_boarding_plane.html?r=ny_local&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fny_local+%28NY+Local%2), his long-awaited reunion with his mother has been delayed while he proves his identity so he can fly.

A land of freedom doesn’t put paperwork requirements between a man on the rebound and a long-awaited reunion with his mother.

##### Related Tags 

[Technology and Privacy](https://www.cato.org/technology-privacy) 

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