Pulaski

Three of the four I didn't recognize anyway. On researching the fourth, I discovered I don't recognize her either!

Rete

You mean the public would not know who their families were. Big f'ing deal. Their accomplishments should stand on their own without having to be boosted by their family connections.

The fact that they want to trade in on their family name says little about their confidence in making a name for themselves regardless of what that name might be.

MMcD

That's absolutely NOT what I mean. Not at all. You've entirely mis-construed my point
Re-read my post
Furthermore - with the exception of Caroline Kennedy - what 'family connection' does any one of them have?

Rete

Apologies if I misconstrued your point.

I know of all four surnames as power families in politics.

MMcD

Accepted... and thank you Rete

...But that part of your reply made me curious, so I looked up their families:

I suppose Susan Rice's was kinda prestigious - tho you'd have to be pretty clued in to either know or appreciate that her father was a Cornell Economics Professor and the 2nd black governor of the Federal Reserve and her mother - a scholar at Brookings. I wouldn't have thought keeping her birthname gave her any undue advantage

However, far as I can see - seems there's no power inherent in the Power surname of Samantha Power.
Her father was a Dublin piano player and dentist. He literally drank himself to death after her Irish physician mother walked out on him and emigrated to America with 9 yr. old Samantha and her brother.

Loretta Lynch's family seems similarly politically unconnected. Her father was a Baptist Minister, her mother - a school librarian.

And Hillary Rodham - well....I don't think I have to bother repeating what we all know about her parents.
Suffice it to say - she didn't come from a "power family in politics". Not even remotely.
Clinging to the Rodham name - which she did for years - gave her no advantage (other than to be disassociated from her husband, some might say )

My point was all 5 of the women cited "made it" using their birth names. Caroline is the only one of the 5 whose birth name carries weight. The other 4 are only "known" to the world at large because of their professional accomplishments.
Hillary aside, if you were to refer to any of them by their married name most people wouldn't have a clue who you were talking about.

mrken30

I would use whatever is on your social security card as this seems to be the originating ID document in the US. I assume that it is probably the same as your GC.

ian-mstm

That's because you're a fool.


Umm... no, it's not. There were several documents in the US with her name on it long before she ever got a social security number! Think about it for a moment... and if it doesn't come to you, please feel free to ask.

Ian

mrken30

But 90% of Americans use SS card as their initial form of ID. Every other form of ID and financial account goes off of your SS number. When you change your name the SS card is the first thing you have to change.
Judges in the US like to deal with familiar articles. I bet many have never even seen a GC.

Think about your answer logically and reply once you have thought about it a few times.

Nutmegger

Why using Social Security numbers for identification is risky and stupid.

ian-mstm

Yes, they do... but: 1) she's not an American; and 2) the SS card was not her initial form of ID. You keep assuming it was... but it wasn't. If you think about it long enough, you'll come to realize the mistake that you keep making over and over! If you don't want to think, that's your choice - but then you open yourself up for ridicule... but please don't keep repeating information as though it's correct - when it clearly isn't.

Ian

Pulaski

I don't recall the last time I was asked for my Social Security card. I may have been asked for it when I got my first driving license. I am certain my bank did not ask to see the card, though they asked for my SSN*. In short, I don't believe that even 10% of Americans use their Social Security card as a form of ID. I know for a fact Mrs P doesn't, because it is with mine, and little Miss P's cards in our safety deposit box.

* For ID purposes the card is pretty worthless as, similar to credit reference agencies, there are commerce databases that can match your SSN, date of birth, and address to your name, so if you can prove your name and address and provide a DoB (which is on your DL anyway) and an SSN that matches in the database then you're good to go! And before you say, "Ah! The name has to match." it actually doesn't, there is some latitude, and if Bobby-Sue Jones shows up and gives her date of birth, SSN and address, and the details all match but the name shows up as Bobby-Sue Reinhardt then that is a good enough match even without a marriage certificate. .... In fact the commercial ID databases usually pick up marriages and deaths too, and other uses of the name/DoB/address/SSN combination, so it is easy to match the details Bobby-Sue gave to other publically-available records.

mrken30

It's the number that's printed on the SS card that is important. the number must match the name of the person that owns it. To me everything seems to revolve around your SSN in the US.

kodokan

I've hardly ever used mine. I get asked for it fairly often at places like the doctor or dentist, but I tell them I don't know it... they pause briefly while they get to grips with a grown adult Not. Knowing. Their. Number!, then move onto the next box on the form. There's no way I'm handing it out to be stolen from a zillion medical providers who can't be bothered to have their own patient identification system.

Pulaski

Once someone has your name and date of birth it is easy to find your SSN if you have access to the right databases; an address you have used would only be necessary if your name is very common.

kodokan

What sort of databases would people need to have access to - is it a 'general public' sort of thing? (Wouldn't surprise me, having discovered the fascinating US hobby of going to the County Recorder's website and looking up your neighbor's terrifying 'how can you sleep at night' mortgage decisions.)