Some wonks would like a clear "clear pact" between serfs and govt. Well yes, tell you what, you could call this "clear pact" a constitution. You could even arrange things so the govt was subject to the rule of law, but hey, let's not get too extreme, ok.

Had to laugh at the "even electronic ID cards can potentially be misused" bit. The beauty of electronics is that it makes misuse easier, faster and more convincing - computer says no syndrome.

Where do these people come from?

"Where do these people come from?"

Must be a thinky winky wonk tank.

My relationship with (local) govt these days seems to consist entirely of "peasant: do as we tell you/provide what we want" or we will fine you £1000. Pity they don't actually fine the people who fail to comply rather than intimidating everyone else. Trust. Yeah right. And thats in a pseudo-democracy.

And ref the constitution, why would we want one of those when there's a European one just round the corner?...

Trust us - we turn a blind eye to extraordinary rendition.

It's all very well to complain endlessly, but has anyone yet figured out why government, any government can't come to grips with basic data security, do we require a certain level of retardation to be in civil service is it something in the job description. Do government workers have a deep seated need to fail to take even the most basic safeguards to insure our data is not "lost" we need behavioral science to look into this.

I think you're being unfair to the vast majority of governement workers. For the most part they're no more or less hard working or intelligent than people in the private sector. As is the case in of most large organisations though, individual ability and intiative gets crushed by the weight of bureaucracy and managerial incomptenance.