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As the Obama Administration continues to expand the policies of the Bush Administration the newest theater of the War on Terror is your checking account.
The Obama administration is drawing up plans to give all U.S. spy agencies full access to a massive database that contains financial data on American citizens and others who bank in the country, according to a Treasury Department document seen by Reuters.
Is the real war on privacy or on restraints of State power?
Financial institutions that operate in the United States are required by law to file reports of “suspicious customer activity,” such as large money transfers or unusually structured bank accounts, to Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation already has full access to the database. However, intelligence agencies, such as the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, currently have to make case-by-case requests for information to FinCEN.
The Treasury plan would give spy agencies the ability to analyze more raw financial data than they have ever had before, helping them look for patterns that could reveal attack plots or criminal schemes.
Now let’s talk about why this is hilarious and has nothing to do with stopping terrorism financing.
There is a company called HSBC that laundered money for Mexican Drug Cartels, Iran, and Al-Qaeda. They even helped launder money for the bank that helped fund the 9/11 attacks. So you would expect a government really concerned with terrorist’s financial activity would crackdown hard on a bank facilitating terrorist attacks on the United States right? Wrong.
HSBC paid a small fine representing a few weeks profit and went on about their business. No jail time for money laundering for terrorists and drug cartels and not even a hint that their charter to operate was in jeopardy. And that makes sense if the War on Terror is about preventing dissent in America not stopping terrorist attacks. Now intelligence agencies will be able to track your every purchase and transaction to ensure you are a good citizen.
Try donating to Wikileaks now.
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We will miss their filming and holly jolly faces at the street demonstrations. I guess they are just getting lazy.
The USG doesn’t already have total access to everyone’s financials? How do you know they don’t?
There’s a difference between having access and being authorized to have access – especially when it comes to arresting and detaining people.
Its not the War on Terror any more, its the War on US.
heh… shades of Barbra crooing “Memories….” I do recall many a time having some spook jumping in front of me to very obvs snap my photo whilst I was marching in some demo.
Oh the good old days.
I figured the spooks already had access to everything single thing about me. It’s clear that Google & all the other online “services” do.
but agree with DSWright @3, this next nail in the coffin just makes it that much easier to beat us down… not that they needed to have the skids greased all that much… but…
What’s the diff. Empires make their own laws, including after the fact. If USG decides it will persecute someone, they’ll make it up as they go along.
From the article I linked, you’ll see that imperial law is another form of enforcement of empires. A large part of the article concerns what empires do to other parts of the globe they subject to misery, but empires do the same thing to their subjects in the homeland.
Imperial laws trump international laws and domestic laws.
The evidence does point in that direction.
Don’t you think this was always the end game? The patriot act had already been written before 9-11.
Not a surprise. Increasingly, private and government entities have access to dossiers on nearly all Americans and increasing numbers of people abroad. We allowed this police state to evolve–we did little about it. The left has more or less accepted the mainstream narrative on security issues, i.e., the “war on terror” which is a war that cannot exist and also will never end–sounds like joke.
How can any person of conscience not hate Obama?
… a point a lot of us tried to make during the Vietnam War: if we let the government do that to SE Asia, eventually they will end up doing it here to us. It was too obscure a point for most people and, as now, there are a lot of people who have a vested short-term interest in not understanding what they are doing to their children, their neighbors and our country.
There were some protests about the Patriot Act back in the day, plus there were huge world-wide protests against the Iraq War. But those of us who pointed out what was the obvious outcome of endorsing a police state were called out for being “treasonous” and similar. Some people losts jobs.
But yes, many trad-Dem voters, who I no longer consider to be “liberal” or “progressive” or “leftwing,” meekly go along and think there’s nothing to be concerned about.
And so: on it goes…
Yes. I can certainly remember having similar discussions during the heady days of Anti-Viet Nam War protesting. But duly noted that most who protested – and there were huge numbers who turned out, esp towards the end – were mainly “only” concerned about ending the War… a noble goal, to be sure. But most were oblivious to the rest of the implications.
Then, as now, most citizens simply do not want to see what’s directly in front of them, and often one is called crazy or told take the tin-foil hat off, etc. I had someone just the other day tell me to stop “indulging” myself in “bogus conspiracy theories.”
And so: on it goes…
Must admit, had to have my nose rubbed into the whatever-empires-do-abroad-they-do-at-home meme a couple of times before I realized the implications. Of course, with O in charge, there are so many examples it’s not hard to collect evidence.
Doesn’t seem to be influencing the leftie side of the political spectrum much, though. That side seems largely content to bitch & moan about the latest erosion of liberty & rights, without seeing the larger picture.
Meant to make another point about imperial law, a point likely to PO some people, but needed to check my memory.
Nuremberg trials were one of the most prominent examples of imperial law, the making it up as they go along portion.
I read Profiles in Courage (forget for the moment that JFK didn’t write it) probably 40 or more years ago. I haven’t forgotten the chapter about Robert Taft. Here’s a link for those who haven’t read it.
Taft argued that Nuremberg trails were ex post facto, violating the principle that to be charged & tried for a crime, the law must be promulgated before the act.
Why do they hate us for our freedom?
Hannah Arendt made pretty much the same point when she observed that the European countries got used to torturing people again (after a hundred year hiatus) by practicing on their colonial subjects.
As to the financial sweep, I can state without any doubt that the American expat community, which includes people who left in the 60s and their children, plus anyone who had the misfortune to be born in the States while his or her parents were in transit are scared shitless, because the IRS considers them tax-paying citizens. I keep an eye on what’s going on via a couple blogs, and the first time something happens is the last time I set foot in the country. Now that my mother has passed away, I have no inescapable motive to return. I’m in Paris right now for the next six weeks and will be polling my expat friends to see how they are going to be responding. The problem isn’t so much the income tax, because the offsets for local tax are so large they wipe out the US liability, but the provisions affecting pensions and real estate, which is what wr old fogies live on. The government wants to get their hands on those assets. As I said, people are very afraid.
It does seem odd, though, that there would have to be a law against operating a death camp before you can convict one for mass murder.
You just won.
And what does he, the treasury, the DoJ and the SEC intend to do with it. THey’ve been sitting with the heads up their asses for four years now looking the other way. DO they intent to “blackmail” people?
Now you’re wrong about that. Only the IRS has access to your financial records.
Ohhhhh, I see what you mean.
Never mind.
My buddy is a “conmspiracy nut”. Way back in 1989 he said all this was gonn happen. I told him he was crazy.
Do any of you have the 800 number to “Edible Arrangements”????
Doyou know what the BIG basket costs?????
I voted for him the first time but he’s on my “shit list” now.
You can’t throw a cat without hitting one of Obama’s broken promises.
In the 2008 primary I voted against Hillary Clinton because I didn’t want a 3rd Clinton term. So instead we got Obama and a 3rd–and now a 4th–George W. Bush term.
Gentle reminder: elections have consequences only when Republicans win them.
Taft argued that Nuremberg trails were ex post facto, violating the principle that to be charged & tried for a crime, the law must be promulgated before the act.
But 9/11 Changed Everything ™.
Because of identity politics, the wrong lessons drawn from the success of the civil rights movement and the incredibly stupid switch from empiricism to deductive reasoning many Americans have undergone in recent years, Democrats tend to think in categories. I think there is a rough syllogism that said, “all black people have been victims of oppression, therefore all black people will help fight oppression; Barack Obama is a black person, therefore he will help fight oppression.” Problems: 1) being mixed race may not be the most important thing about Obama; 2) some black people may just be hoping for an equal opportunity to join the oppressors; 3) the evidence says overwhelmingly that the syllogism is mistaken in Obama’s case.
Throw in political correctness, and you have people who were very, very wrong in their Hope for Change through Obama, but are terrified of being called racists (and Obama’s supporters have not been shy about deploying this) or even thinking racist thoughts. I would like to think that we on the left are much smarter and more independent-minded than this, but the evidence says this is probably a false hope.
William Blum calls them hopium addicts.
Lots of good meat in your comment, but I’m up to boring chores, and come back to computer when I get too bored.
Will add only false dichotomies to your analysis. H/T friend.
D vs. R, terrorist vs friend, made a longer list on a comment yesterday.
Those on the so-called “Left” are every bit – or more – as tribalitic in their authoritarianism as the so-called “Right.”
IOW, *most* citizens are authoritarians who do not wish to have the scales removed from their eyes. They prefer to live in delusional fantasy-lands, where, as long as they “vote” for their “team,” then it’s all good… and don’t come a-knockin’ at their door with any of them thar pesky facts ‘n stuff.
I really see precious little diff these days between so-called “right” and “left.” Those labels are meaningless, other than as ways for the PTB to manipulate, bamboozle & otherwise brainwash the tribes.
It really boils down to economics (as it always has) and the 99% v. the 1%. There was no clearer example of this than during the last Pres Election. What the EFF was the diff bet RMoney & Bamz??? Not much.
With Ed Schultz being “promoted” to weekends and Chris Hayes presumably being “demoted” to 8pm weeknights, it’ll be interesting to see if Hayes continues acknowledging the shortcomings of Obama and his silent party… or if he gets Cenk’ed.
This continued expansion of invading our privacy offers Hayes a perfect opportunity to show us if he’s got balls… or is simply taking more money. Though in reality, Obama seems to offer MSNBC opportunities to call him out on his BS on a daily basis.
As I await the new Hayes time slot, I remind myself that if MSNBC wanted REAL reporting… they could offer Jane or other firebaggers the opportunity… but I’m guessing that honest, useful reporting is not really the intent.
Prediction: Within 3 months, Hayes will become a Markos Moulitsas with better presentation skills.
eCAHNomics,
I really want you to know that your demurral of (on?) issues has enabled me to stand back in order to try to take in the full picture.
I thank you profoundly for the example.
LOL!!! MSNBC & “real reporting”??? You funneeee….
I believe that Jane has been on MSNBC in the past, but I have a feeling that it’s been quite a long time since that happened. Truth hurts…
I don’t own a tv, but I had access to one up to about 6 months ago. I stopped watching MSNBC a loooong time ago. IMO, worthless, but that’s just me.
I have high hopes, but low expectations. So unfortunately, I agree.
I saw Rachel last week when she intro’ed the Rand Paul filibuster. She effectively said “Rand Paul is crazy and is a hated Republican, but he raised an interesting point today….”
On Saturday, my take from Chris Hayes was “Rand Paul raised an important point this week.”
I hope Hayes sticks to the issues and avoids the unnecessary partisan commentary. If he does, I may actually watch TV again on a fairly regular basis. But if he goes down the path offered to (and rejected by) Cenk, then it’s scionara.
Hopium addicts. Effing brilliant! I used that to blister Moveon in a “how we doing email” I just received from them as fellow travelers in a Quisling “democratic” Presidency of Barack W. Bushama
Ed got the boot when he quit trusting in Obama when the station’s theme is to blame all intransigence on those crazy Republicans. Never was home in time to watch Dylan RAtigan but my guess is the same thing happened to him last year.
MSNBC the propaganda wing of the Democratic Party. I ditched MSNBC when they fired Cenk Uygur for being skeptical of Obama’s anti “base” bonafides to be replaced by the House Negritude of Al Sharpton who promised he would not be crtical of Obama.
A pox on sellouts in the “Left wing” media. Maddow is certainly the best at the worst of MSNBC’s apologia.
I cancelled tv five year ago, but recently moved in with my fiancee. So tv returned to my life, unfortunately. I have seen bits of Chris Hayes. He does seem like a good reporter to me…. though Cenk already explained that MSNBC does not approve of real reporting.
“Scionara” is an interesting neologism. It would refer, for instance, to Willard, the Romney scion, losing the 2012 election.
YOu don’t find Markos’ lisp adorable? I sadly, do not.
Did Ed actually question Obama? I watch so little, I never would’ve noticed.
Rachel’s not entirely bad (like O’Donnell and Bashir, neither of whom do anything but read Carney’s daily TPM), but I have no interest in ever actually turning her on to learn something.
Occasionally I do turn on Hayes on Sat / Sun AM to hear something new and insightful.
did i spell it wrong?
lemme just say “good luck, good bye and good riddance!”
:)
Hmmmmmm……..Honest mainstream media masturbates malicious minority malefactor’s.
His delivery is bad, but his bigger problem is that even by talking-head standards, he said nothing while on the air. It was as though he was afraid that if he said anything top Democrats disapproved of, James Carville would immediately materialize, bearing The Hook.
On which 8pm time slot are you commenting? Schultz or OReilly?
Thank you.
Good one!
Indeed. THey’re gonna need a bigger shovel.
eCAHN is one of my heroes. Makes me want to be a better man.
“Scionara” is the science involing the “Scion” automobnile made by Toyota.
“Sayonara” is good-bye in Japanese not to be confused with “Sukiaki” a popular hit song recorded in 1963 by Kyu Sakomoto whjo recently passed away.
Scionara… funny. I knew I shoulda checked dictionary before I hit enter.
No surprise coming from the Obama administration–that’s all I can say. And Americans won’t speak up for themselves because they’ve been hectored into believing that if you speak up, you look like a hippie pinko.
Sad. Scary. But there will be no resistance to speak of.