Congress wants to know your eBay buying habits

WorldNetDaily ^ | June 20, 2008 | WorldNetDaily

[hripka]

A freedom-focused grassroots organization has issued a nationwide alert about a plan in Congress that would require credit card companies, eBay, Amazon, Google and other companies to report what you buy to the federal government.

FreedomWorks chairman Dick Armey said the privacy implications are "breathtaking."

"This is a provision with astonishing reach, and it was slipped into the bill just this week," he said. "Not only does it affect nearly every credit card transaction in America, such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express, but the bill specifically targets payment systems like eBay's PayPal, Amazon and Google Checkout," he said.

FreedomWorks said the provision is "hidden deep in Sen. Christopher Dodd's 630-page Senate housing legislation." It was added by the bill's managers without debate and calls for a tracking and reporting system "on nearly every electronic transaction."

[hripka]

July 28, 2008
FreedomWorks: Crony Capitalism Rules As Congress Passes Blank Check Mortgage Bailout
Open-ended bill raises the national debt ceiling to $10.6 trillion, does nothing to fix the long term problem of Freddie and Fannie.
http://www.freedomworks.org/newsroom/press_template.php?press_id=2599

[Politicalmom]

PING!!

Please FReepmail to be added to the Congress Watch ping list.

[Paladin2]

Cash is still King.

[RandallFlagg]

And they said that it would stop with online cigarette purchases.

[A_perfect_lady]

Dear Congress,

I live on Pinot Grigio, ramen-noodle soup, and peanut butter Tiger's Milk bars. My cats will eat anything from a can. There's little else to know. Please don't waste any more time trying to figure out what I buy.

[benjamin032]

Why would they need this information?

[netmilsmom]

Thus ends my buying on Ebay.
Craigslist is better anyway.

[JoanneSD]

Exactly, and no one is talking about this... just do a google search and u can see it is for real.. the dems were against the patriot act.. but want to know what I buy...jeesh

[lonevoice]

"What is the federal government's purpose with this kind of detailed data? How will this database be secured, and who will have access? Many small proprietors use their Social Security number as their tax ID. How will their privacy be protected? What compliance costs will this impose on businesses? Why is Sen. Chris Dodd putting this provision in a housing bailout bill? The bill also includes the creation of a new national fingerprint registry for mortgage brokers."

Good grief! And they've hidden it in the housing bill? I hate this Congress so so much.

[MrB]

If it’s an activity, it’s a taxable activity.

[tatsinfla]

maybe to see what sells fastest and more of so they can tax it too.....i am sure they are devising a way to make money off of it....

[wastedyears]

I’ll vote for my neighbor’s dog over Christopher Dodd.

Get this traitorous POS out of the Senate.

[hripka]

Thus ends my buying on Ebay. Craigslist is better anyway.

Is that only because Craigslist is mainly cash?

Cash, out of the range of view from Congress, for now.

[WOBBLY BOB]

I use both. some things are better for craigslust, but require having to weed through more kooks to get a real buyer.

[jeffc]

Ah, yes. The old "if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear" ploy. Of course, the dems went ballistic when Bush had people's phone calls to suspected terrorists checked.
I guess it's OK now that they're doing it.

[tatsinfla]

i just love the way they attach crap like this to a bill that starts out with merit. usually though it is something to send money to some politicians state so he will agree to vote for it. if you are going to submit a housing bill then submit a housing bill period. no wonder nothing gets done up there and when it does it is a sham on the people.

[frankiep]

Why would they need this information?

Why to know if you are "hoarding" certain goods, of course. This way they will know who to call on when they need to confiscate ask for donations for the "common good".

[hripka]

Congress’ bailout opens doors to eminent domain seizures
WorldNetDaily.com ^ | July 26, 2008 | Bob Unruh
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051636/posts

[Gabz]

And they said that it would stop with online cigarette purchases. (Randall Flagg)

Nanny State PING.............

[wally_bert]

I have never been able to even give anything away on Craigslist and anything I have put up was in working order, good condition (if even used at all), and priced usually around or a little under what any equvialents were on Ebay.

I can't even give away a pair of mint condition chrome valve covers that probably fit a small block chevy or ford. I originally bought them on Ebay and the long-since gone dealer said they were for a 304 AMC engine.

When I got them, I had a master bath and bedroom renovation going on and they wound up in the attic, never opened. A couple of years go by and I found the box in the attic and it was a nice day, I figured I would bolt them on. These are too long and lean for my 304. The invoice was probably lost ages ago. I guess they will sit for a while...