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To: ppaul, AKbear
I believe that a citizen database is a done deal. The public doesn't make the assumption that the database will be misused. I also think that people have an intuitive sense of natural rights, and understand that the right not to have others keep information on you does not exist.

The right to dictate conditions of a business transaction doesn't exits either. If an airline wants to see an ID before they let you on their plane, you are free to refuse to fly, that's all. When a government agency dictates to the airline how to do business, that is a dispute between the airline and the government. Since the issue is one of national security, the government has a legitimate say in the matter: it is not an instance of intrusive regulation.

I believe that the citizen database will be abused by the government. The pattern of abuse will be that citizens who oppose any facet of the government activities,-- wholly inside the protections given to them by the Bill of Rights,-- will be facing smear tactics based on the knowledge of every transaction they have ever entered with anyone. We saw such abuse employed by Clinton against his opponents, perhaps with the help of the pilfered FBI files. With the citizen database in place, ordinary citizens will be exposed to intimidation just as much as the proverbial glass-house politicians are today.

56 posted on 09/24/2001 9:23:11 AM PDT by annalex
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To: annalex
Sorry so late in replying, got kinda busy. :-/

I agree that a citizen database is coming, sadly. But when you say we do not have a right to not have someone keep information about us, I have to disagree when that someone is the government. The 4th Amendment specifically says so. As to merchants and such, then that is between the individual and whoever he is doing business with. However, the merchant can't pass the information to anyone else without the individual's permission, especially the government. Unless the government has a duly sworn warrant.

As to not being able to dictate business conditions, you are correct. However when the business conditions are dictated by the government, then I have a right to call the government on it. When a regulation or law which, when enforced by the government would be unconstitutional, is enforced by a private party at the direction of the government, it's still unconstitutional. If the condition of business is a policy of the private party, that is one thing. When it is a mandate from the government, that is another.

As to your last paragraph, I agree. It will be abused. If not by the current administration, then definitely by some future one.

117 posted on 09/25/2001 5:09:21 PM PDT by AKbear
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