State Dept. Proposes Creepy, Impossible-To-Answer Questions for Passport Applications

“The U.S. Department of State is proposing a new Biographical Questionnaire for some passport applicants: The proposed new Form DS-5513 asks for all addresses since birth; lifetime employment history including employers’ and supervisors names, addresses, and telephone numbers; personal details of all siblings; mother’s address one year prior to your birth; any “religious ceremony” around the time of birth; and a variety of other information. According to the proposed form, “failure to provide the information requested may result in … the denial of your U.S. passport application.” Furthermore, according to the information offered, “the new questions also ask for the names and contact information of all witnesses to your birth.” Wow. And we pay for this kind of stuff with each and every penny we pay in taxes. Reduce consumption, decrease the amount you pay in taxes. Cook, bake, sew, grow, fix, repair… all of these things are ways to reduce the amount of money you give the government.