I am very concerned that this could be abused. Reporting could now be mandated with penalties involved for those truckers, conductors, etc. who do not turn in their weekly TIPS report. AG Ashcroft stresses this is not so. And you are absolutely right - it is the duty of all Americans to report these sorts of things.
Problem is, the receiving end of the report is not well geared to handle what it is receiving. (I guess the citizenry are doing what they are supposed to after all.) This TIPS program is simply a way to streamline the movement of information the Justice Department is getting.
It doesn't do us a darn bit of good to report anything if the report has to wend its way through a whole bunch of bureaucracy.
This is a red-tape cutting action - so I see it as a good thing.
It's just red flags are going up as far as I'm concerned. I see a lot of opportunity for abuse. Now, I read in Fox that Bush may veto the bill to create the Homeland Securities Department, due to too many ammendments, particularly ones dealing with the abilitiy to fire incompetent workers.
Click here for the article. Lieberman claims that 85% to 90% of the bill is the way the President wants it. Perhaps, I haven't checked. But that 15% which is wrong, is indeed wrong!
This is not a time for compromise. It is war.