Hey You Stop whining about your civil liberties, a Police State is a safe state.

[Team Sergeant]

Just ask the "leaders" in Chicago, Detroit, Wash DC, etc.

Well done comrades, stalin, che guevara, castro, hitler and hugo chávez would all be proud of your work!

At this rate we'll leap right past socialism.....


EXCLUSIVE - U.S. to let spy agencies scour Americans' finances

By Emily Flitter and Stella Dawson and Mark Hosenball

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON | Thu Mar 14, 2013 12:01am IST

(Reuters) - 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.

The proposed plan represents a major step by U.S. intelligence agencies to spot and track down terrorist networks and crime syndicates by bringing together financial databanks, criminal records and military intelligence. The plan, which legal experts say is permissible under U.S. law, is nonetheless likely to trigger intense criticism from privacy advocates.

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.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/03/13/usa-banks-spying-idINDEE92C0EH20130313

[orion5]

This is very frightening.

Just yesterday I was checking my data on intelius, radaris and in my credit reports. Found myself connected to 2 men I've never heard of and I've lived in 2 cities I've never set foot in. My birth date was wrong in one and I was connected to an alias I've never used in another.

About 10 years ago I had to correct an IRS tax lien that showed up in a credit report under my name. We never figured out where it came from. It took almost 2 years to get it removed.

Point is, these massive databases are often wrong. We all know this. I can't imagine the DBs the CIA or NSA use are any "cleaner" than what everyone else pulls from. Lots of innocent people's financial data will get pulled into this, potentially corrupted, stolen or whatever. What will their recourse be? Nothing. "Ooops."

At least when the agencies had to submit requests for your data on a case-by-case basis you could hope they had done some due diligence. Now, if it becomes wide open access, I see nothing but the potential for sloppiness or downright abuse.

[Badger52]

Point is, these massive databases are often wrong. We all know this. I can't imagine the DBs the CIA or NSA use are any "cleaner" than what everyone else pulls from. Lots of innocent people's financial data will get pulled into this, potentially corrupted, stolen or whatever. What will their recourse be? Nothing. "Ooops."Garbage in, that can't get out. No different than many locales' implementation of "see something say something." Even a co-opted neighbor with a grudge, who's been flattered and stroked & made a local "threat liaison officer" (think "minder" in the old DDR) can jam you up. At a few conferences I've asked the question as to the mechanism for your friendly DHS-funded fusion cell expunging something once it's been followed up & found to be b.s. They look at me as if I'm ruining their party and mutter something about "all the little dots are important."

Sad to hear your story, but completely believable.

[JM1347]

I can foresee a lot of problems with this. Orion5 is right about the potential for sloppiness or abuse. Myself and probable other members of this site have been exposed to personal data being stolen. The Veterans Administration had a problem some years back with storage media containing personal information being stolen from a private residence, when it never was to removed form the VA site. And as far as accuracy of databases, I can remember a sitting US Senator showing up on the no fly list( Ted Kennedy). If the FBI already has access to this info, why can't they notify appropriate agencies of suspicious activity.

[Badger52]

And as far as accuracy of databases, I can remember a sitting US Senator showing up on the no fly list( Ted Kennedy).This was a weight & balance issue with the aircraft, as to useful load.

If the FBI already has access to this info, why can't they notify appropriate agencies of suspicious activity.If one is in the dot-collecting business as a self-licking ice cream cone, everything belonging to everyone looks like a dot.

[Mustang Man]

Found this in the comments section on the link. Is any part of what he is saying true about the Patroit Act?


davidp63619 hours agoWhat a dishonest title to the article. *Dishonest, but not surprising from a propaganda tabloid. *The spy agencies have been able to do this since the Patriot Act. *The FBI (responsible for domestic investigations) already has full access to the FinCen database. *The rest is just letting the various spy agencies communicate better which has been called for since 9/11. *But perspective like that ruins the effectiveness of the goal of this article - propaganda.Read more:*http://nation.foxnews.com/banks/2013/03/13/reuters-obama-admin-let-spy-agencies-scour-americans-finances#ixzz2NdCg9ovO

[Badger52]

The PATRIOT Act is a not-bad example of what is seen in this country from time to time, reactive good intentions in the wake of horrific events, that help solidify the cliche' "slippery slope." The organism thus created doesn't go away; workjng itself out of a job is not on the to-do list.

Doesn't mean it shouldn't continually get fresh scrutiny from its citizens.

[pcfixer]

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.


And this is supposed to make us "feel" safe?