THE “PATRIOT” ACT???

New Boortz NEALZ NUZE ^ | November 20, 2001 | Neal Boortz

[jgrubbs]

THE “PATRIOT” ACT???
Do you know what I’ve done that many of our congressmen and senators haven’t done? I’ve read a summary of H.R. 3162. The long title is “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001” The Congressional Research Service has given H.R. 3162 the short title of USA Patriot Bill.

I hope you’ve learned long ago not to pay any attention to the titles our wonderful legislators give to their legislation. Titles seldom have anything to do with the actual purposes of the bill. Take the “Bank Secrecy Act” for instance. The true purpose of this bill was to make sure that the federal government could keep an eye on your financial relationship with your bank. A more proper title would have been the “Bank Anti-Secrecy Act.”

OK … Back to the Patriot Act. It would seem that some members of congress have done what so many other groups and individuals have done. They have used the terrorist attacks on America as an excuse to pursue long-held goals that have nothing to do with terrorism.

Let’s go back to that Bank Secrecy Act for a minute. Under that law you bank must file a report with the Imperial Federal Government every time you engage in a transaction with the bank involving more than $10,000 in cash. If you deposit $10,000 in cash the bank files a report. If you withdraw ten grand, the bank files a report. Are you told the bank is filing a report? No. Are you given a copy of the report? No. (I guess this is where the “secrecy” comes in.)

Well … Section 365 of the USA Patriot Bill has just expanded this reporting requirement. Now it applies to most businesses in addition to banks. Now, if you go to a business and spend more than $10,000 in cash that business has to report your name, address, social security number and other pertinent information to the feds. It doesn’t matter whether you spend the money on one item, or a whole shopping cart full .. the federal government must be notified.

This has absolutely NOTHING to do with international terrorism. The terrorists who attacked the World Trade Towers and the Pentagon did not deal in large amounts of cash. They carried picture ID cards and used credit cards. They NEVER spent $10,000 in cash with any business. In short, they never engaged in any activity that would have to be reported under Section 365.

So --- what’s the deal here? Why these new reporting requirements for all businesses? It has much more to do with the IRS than it does with terrorism. Our tax burden is so onerous in this country that many people prefer to deal in cash as much as they can. The IRS wants to catch these people, and has stepped forward to use our fear of terrorism to open the door. The original Bank Secrecy Act was based on money laundering by drug dealers. Drugs the excuse then, terrorism the excuse now. And all the while the goal is nothing less than to give the federal government more power to pry into the financial affairs of every American.

Remember --- this is the same government that tried to institute the “Know your customer” plan a few years back, and the same government that would like to have access to the computer networks that run ATMs and credit card authorization services.

As for the USA Patriot Bill? Few congressmen even read this bill. Many didn’t even read the summary. In the House, under Republican leadership, debate wasn’t permitted, nor were amendments.

Again ---- this is why I vote Libertarian.

[MJY1288]

That part of this act definately is a worry, I admit it is ripe for abuse, I only pray it wont be, and if it is, then they can't sweep it under the rug like Ruby Ridge and Waco

[Native American Female Vet]

"They CAN't stop me from running. I don't know Missouri law, but they can't stop anyone in my state from running. All I need to do is cough up the $100, and I can run under any party, even dems."

They CAN do everything they want to to sabotage your campaign. I saw plenty of dirty deeds done by Wagner, the current RNC co chair and her buddies. I saw some very good and better qualified candidates pushed out because they were not 'insiders' and refused to tow her line and that went right down to local elections.

"I've blasted my reps on this terror bill, and I will be personally seeing my congressman himself soon over it at a party function. I'll bluntly going to ask him "Did you read the bill????": GOOD! I will too since I cant get an answer from her office yet.

"I'm on the same side as you and the other ones I'm discussing with here."

Good Im glad :-)

"I firmly believe we have two possible scenarios. The first I can't mention on the internet. It's from a semi-famous book about a man named Henry that takes place in Missouri."

LOL

"That leaves the other one. ALL of us join the parties(dems too if that's the only party that wins), take control, run for office(starting at County commish, city council, township board, school board, sheriff(for cops), prosecutor(for lawyers)) or help like minded people run, and develop a base. Then work up and take the states over one by one by one, all the way to DC."

Been there tryed that...Yes, local elections can be won by true conservatives, in small to medium size towns and not in big cities. You cant make it past local level or cities with a true conservative. The SRP/RNC wont have it.

Once you get past local level and in cities thats when the State Republican Party starts getting their fingers into it. You either have to have lots of money and/or connections to the 'insiders' to make it through the mud slinging, backstabbing and down right mean crap, that the state party will do to you. I have seen it.

"Out problem is that our people stayed home, wern't active enough, and don't have the same dedication as the freedom grabbers do. (all of us, including myself)."

I had more people willing to volunteer than any other election. The base was solid. Now thats no longer true. More people will stay home this next election, thats a given here anyway and not volunteer for the republicans like they did. Bush has pissed off the base that got him that narrow win

"It's time to be as ruthless as the bad guys are. I'm sick of being nice."

I hear ya! Thats why I will leave and if nothing else make a statement to the republicans. They wont listen when Im voting for them and working for them. They pander to anyone who does not vote for them. I went for the win last time and lost big time with Bush and many others.

[sonjay]

It's a trick question! There's no such thing as a Libertarian Congressman.

Sure there is. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. He runs under the Repubbie label, but he's about the purest libertarian congresscritter there is.

[Godebert]

FBI Flyer Names Constitution Defenders as "Terrorists"

[MadameAxe]

Full text of H.R.3162.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

Heil Shickelgruber bump.

[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

I had forgotten about this:

Let’s go back to that Bank Secrecy Act for a minute. Under that law you bank must file a report with the Imperial Federal Government every time you engage in a transaction with the bank involving more than $10,000 in cash. If you deposit $10,000 in cash the bank files a report. If you withdraw ten grand, the bank files a report. Are you told the bank is filing a report? No. Are you given a copy of the report? No. (I guess this is where the “secrecy” comes in.)

The next time I'm in the states I think I will see how many times, in one business day, I can withdraw and deposit the same $10,000.01.

[OutPhaze]

Pissed Off Janitor wrote...."In 1930's Germany Hitler had over 90% of the vote in his favor. Did that make what he did right? The people wanted it after all..." This is true for the most part. The people there were happy because the trains were on time. BUT did the people really know what they were getting?.....And did the "people" really have a true say in voting him in? It seems to me that Hitler was put in power by a combination of strong arm tactics (political and literal) and mis-information. Things that are tried and true are used over and over again....Hey today most people don't give a damm because they have two cars in the driveway and HBO on the tube. OutPhaze

[riley1992]

I used to work for a bank and that act was despised by all the established and better off customers and rightfully so.

[FrdmLvr]

We are going to come under a one world dictatorship-that is a given. This is the groundwork for it, along with many other laws such as NAFTA and GATT, gun control laws, etc. We have already surrendered too much freedom for a little security.

[Verax]

Bump!

[Verax]

That part of this act definately is a worry, I admit it is ripe for abuse, I only pray it wont be

Dan, with all due respect sir...don't you really mean...

I voted for Mr. Bush, and I support him 100%. If he signed an executive order that strips away our Constitutional rights and lied about a sunset clause, well, that's a shame - but he's a Republican and I'm sticking with him.

[Verax]

"Our forefathers - Representative Ron Paul, November 9 2001

[packrat01]

The threshold is cumulative and applies to multiple purchases if they're somehow related

Like buying gas at the same place for years on end? The purchases are all related; tank empty.

[Mikey]

And the Sheeple people celebrate their slavery and call it good.

[2nd_Ammendment_Defender]

Heck, our political system is so corrupt I expect many of our elected representatives to burn the Constitution. I hate seeing it happen, but we are going to see our rights and the Constitution thrown to the wind in the name of any "noble" cause that comes our way. Until some spark ignites a very big freedom fire of this country, your going to continue to see this garbage happen.

[2nd_Ammendment_Defender]

I have recently become involved in a petition and I have been gathering signatures to petition John Ashcroft to nationally enforce the 2nd Amendment with Constitution burner states like California. Go to this internet site and look at the petition:

http://AshcroftPetition@KeepAndBearArms.com

Here's is your chance to do something besides complain about our system. Download this, print it out, and get anyone over 18, who is a U.S.A. citizen, to sign and mail it off to the listed address. Exercise your 1st Amendment rights to support the 2nd Amendment.

[Jason_b]

"...lied about a sunset clause..."

What? I've been away. What's this about lying about the sunset clause? I thought there was a sunset clause. There's not now?

[Verax]

Well, there's a so-called sunset clause in the final bill that was passed...

H.R. 3162 provides a 4-year sunset for sections 206, 201, 202, 203(b), 204, 206, 207, 209, 210, 212, 214, 215, 217, 218, 220, 223 -- at the end December 31, 2005, with the authorities "grandfathered" as to particular investigations based on offenses occurring prior to sunset.

But this sunset doesn't cover section 802, which is arguably the most threatening component.

And honestly, few Congressmen will vote to repeal this Act, because it will be political suicide! So it will stay on the books indefinatley..like so many others.