Privacy threats hide in security bill

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Mon, 18 Oct 2004 20:48:43 -0700 (PDT)

Subject:Fwd: Privacy Threats Hide in Security Bill

 

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http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5415111.html?tag=zdfd.newsfeed

 

Privacy threats hide in security bill

By Declan McCullagh CNET News.com October 18, 2004, 7:58 AM PT

 

.... The vehicles chosen for this strategy are two bills described

as being inspired by the 9/11 Commission's report, a politically

potent text that's become a best-selling book. The Senate and House

have approved their own versions of the legislation, and negotiators

are now meeting privately to decide on the final draft.

 

(The Senate Bill)

A last-minute amendment added by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., would

require the Department of Homeland Security to create an " integrated

screening system " inside the United States.

 

McCain envisions erecting physical checkpoints, dubbed " screening

points, " near subways, airports, bus stations, train stations, federal

buildings, telephone companies, Internet hubs and any other " critical

infrastructure " facility deemed vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

Secretary Tom Ridge would appear to be authorized to issue new federal

IDs--with biometric identifiers--that Americans could be required to

show at checkpoints.

 

(The House Bill)

...Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, warned last week that the House bill

" will not make America safer (but will definitely) make us less free. "

 

Because the House version is nearly three times as long, its authors

had more room to promote private agendas.

 

One section anticipates storing the " lifetime travel history of each

foreign national or United States citizen " into a database for the

convenience of government officials. It mentions passports, but

there'snothing that would preclude recording the details of trips that

Americans take inside the United States.

 

And 25 former senior officials from the FBI, CIA and military have

sent a letter to Congress indicating that the 9/11 Commission's

recommendations are flawed because the report whitewashed what went

wrong on Sept. 11, 2001.

 

Unfortunately, with only 15 days left before the election, politicians

will be tempted to place expedience over sober analysis of what's

permitted by the U.S. Constitution. That's what happened in October

2001 with the mad scramble to enact the Patriot Act, and history is

about to repeat itself.

 

 

 

" Get off your ass and take your government back. " ~Rocky Ward