I recently became aware of a brash new governmental attempt to evade the law: USA passport applications now include a request for a Social Security number. The request suggests, on its face, that the furnishing of a number is required. However, those behind this little scheme include language proposing a legal rationale for the request on the application form itself-- conscious, no doubt, that it would be illegal to pose such a request as though it is an unambiguous requirement when it really isn't. The presence of the rationale serves to alert the wary that they are simply being invited to accept its reasoning, rather than being commanded to do so. A brief analysis reveals that rationale to be an amusingly bold and creative version of the old "lifting yourself off the ground by standing in a bucket and tugging mightily on its handle" routine.

Here's how the scam works:
http://www.losthorizons.com/comment/Etc/YourPapersPlease.htm