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

Oh, this can't end well.... What happened to things like the CIA being expressly prohibited by charter from operating domestically or against domestic targets? I suppose that whole concept of keeping arms of "state security" separate between war and police is becoming a thing of the past?

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.

So now terrorist organizations just morph right on into Criminal Syndicates? I see... That's one hell of a jump. Grand Canyon territory here.

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.

Source

I tell ya, a flat declaration of a National Police Force is coming next. DHS is seeming to form the structure, but all the lines are being blurred. Kinda like it must have been between state security agencies in other nations and time periods.

Scary stuff happening here, eh?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


The US does not have a government that represents We The People anymore! I wish people would wake up and realize we have been taken over by the global banks and corporations.

If you look at everything that our government is doing to us, (yea, I know, they are doing so much at once it is becoming mind boggling trying to comprehend it all) it is hard to stomach it when people say, all will be well, our government is looking out for our best interests........well.....that is if you are okay being treated like a farm animal....

The writing is on the wall! When will people quit defending these criminals and wake up?

More than 25,000 financial firms - including banks, securities dealers, casinos, and money and wire transfer agencies - routinely file "suspicious activity reports" to FinCEN. The requirements for filing are so strict that banks often over-report, so they cannot be accused of failing to disclose activity that later proves questionable. This over-reporting raises the possibility that the financial details of ordinary citizens could wind up in the hands of spy agencies.

So, any time you make a personal transaction of over 10K, you get reported to this database. That’s not a lot of money. That DB must be HUGE.

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.

So, the CIA already has access, they just won’t have to ask first after this is implemented.

"One of the real pushes from the civil liberties community has been to move away from collection restrictions on the front end and put more limits on what the government can do once it has the information," he said.

AMEN to that.

The more advanced computer systems become and the more agencies are allowed to share, it is much more likely that average Joe's will end up on some sort of watch list and perhaps a predictive one at that.

An added thought on this....

I suppose we know what at least some of the computing power at the new Utah NSA facility will be directed toward. I recall people saying it wouldn't be domestic. That wasn't it's purpose. Yeah.. Right.. Sure... Somehow, I wouldn't believe the sky was blue if they said so without going out to check and see with my own eyes first.

What exactly is considered a terrorist organization or a criminal syndicate I wonder?

helping them look for patterns

there gonna see alot this ...

$ 0.00

Originally posted by tinhattribunal

helping them look for patterns

there gonna see alot this ...

$ 0.00

If they look in my bank account on the 30th that is exactly what they will see. Burried on the property in PVC tubes is another story all together....

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as I am concerned.

Next they will be looking at your purchases using your credit or debit card.

"OH! Look! He/She smokes or drinks alcohol (or both). Let’s add more to their ObamaCare insurance.”

Ooo! He bought a weapon! He could be an extremist!”

Etc, etc,

Just wait and see.

What will be next?

I am greatly saddened by the direction this nation seems to be going. I am also deeply concerned by this as well as a lot of things I have been seeing lately.

I am definitely very concerned for our collective future.

They should just go ahead and put cameras in our homes, you know, for national security.

S&F

Buying Ammo online with a card? You might be a terrorist. Purchased 1000 rounds you are a likely terrorist. Now you can see who the target of this will be. That is right. Everyone who wants constitutional limits on government. Now we are going to see more active round ups of potential terrorists, (gun owners).

reply to post by endats01

Buying Ammo online with a card? You might be a terrorist. Purchased 1000 rounds you are a likely terrorist.

Uh oh.

I'm in trouble then.

Just a matter of time before you're considered a terrorist for buying a big gulp

Time to use cash, bitcoins, and barter.

They say the banks way overreport.

But it's the whole lock step hand in hand government/banking that's just SO disgusting.

Originally posted by Golf66

Originally posted by tinhattribunal

helping them look for patterns

there gonna see alot this ...

$ 0.00

If they look in my bank account on the 30th that is exactly what they will see. Burried on the property in PVC tubes is another story all together....

Our old buddies will be the first ones to use the info. The DIA/JSOC data center in Tampa loves this sort of thing.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Why weren't all you diehard conservatives concerned about all this BS when Bush was in office and instituted the patriot act.
That's where all this **** stems from and the neocon Obama has fallen right in line! A bit late now eh?


Those of us that did express our concerns were labeled unpatriotic, terrorist sympathizers, commies and people like you and tulip walkers, here on ATS.

I think my sig expresses it quite clearly!

Originally posted by Yngvarr
What exactly is considered a terrorist organization or a criminal syndicate I wonder?

a gathering of two or more people.

which set of books...

I am curious...



The public ones I have are intended for public scrutiny...

waste your time reading them.... fine by me

So if you buy more than ten rounds of ammo a week.
THEY will know. and put you down as a terroist.

Originally posted by olaru12
reply to post by Wrabbit2000

 

Why weren't all you diehard conservatives concerned about all this BS when Bush was in office and instituted the patriot act.
That's where all this **** stems from and the neocon Obama has fallen right in line! A bit late now eh?


Those of us that did express our concerns were labeled unpatriotic, terrorist sympathizers, commies and people like you and tulip walkers, here on ATS.

I think my sig expresses it quite clearly!

edit on 13-3-2013 by olaru12 because: (no reason given)

First of all, the constant comparisons back to a former President who has been out of office for over 4 years now are cheap and weak. Really sad to keep seeing, honestly. The reason is simple. To keep using that as the tired old stand-by it's become, indicates a very serious lack of anything else to add. I mean, drawing from errors made so many years ago to justify or make less the bad behavior of today is incredible to see done.

Having gotten that out of the way.... You're assuming far more than you can be in any position to assume about me or about anyone else. I wasn't ON ATS in 2003 when it began. I wasn't here for the Bush years. If I had been, you'd know that while I did vote for him twice (Lesser of evils....and I was NOT voting for who ran against him. My thinking was different in those days on lesser evils), I also bashed the living crap out of Bush's policies when they were wrong.

Specifically, I DID call the Patriot act foolish, short sighted and ignorant. Namely for the very reason we see right now. However badly needed it may have been for what appeared to be imminent war on our own soil then? It wouldn't go away and FUTURE PRESIDENTS would have that same power ..whatever Bush turned out to do with it. It was wrong then..It's wrong now..and I said so.

I also screamed bloody murder about TARP and the bailouts. So please, don't assume those who dislike the screw-up we have in the White House now somehow kissed the ground Bush walked on. It's a VERY ignorant assumption (2 strikes in one sentence) and in this case, it couldn't be further from the truth in claims if it had meant to be.

Sometimes I guess it's a good thing to buy everything in cash and only put whats necessary in the bank. Not like I have much choice though, in this economy. I guess driving a $1200 car may work out to my advantage, because as far as the banks are concerned, I've never even had $10k at one time. Once I get rid of the debt I've collected, I'll be closing accounts for sure.