Air Travel Database Plan Is Set to Advance (U.S. Seeks Passenger Records)

[kskiska]

Monday, January 12, 2004; Page A01

Despite stiff resistance from airlines and privacy advocates, the U.S. government plans to push ahead this year with a vast computerized system to probe the backgrounds of all passengers boarding flights in the United States.

The government will compel airlines and airline reservations companies to hand over all passenger records for scrutiny by U.S. officials, after failing to win cooperation in the program's testing phase. The order could be issued as soon as next month. Under the system, all travelers passing through a U.S. airport will be scored with a number and a color that ranks their perceived threat to the aircraft.

Another program will be introduced this year that seeks to speed frequent fliers through security lines in exchange for volunteering personal information to the government.

The two new initiatives will augment a system introduced last week to fingerprint and photograph millions of foreign visitors on arrival in the United States.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8504-2004Jan11.html

[cprise]

1. A big 'thank you' to Wesley Clark

...and his work lobbying for Acxiom.

[revcarol]

3. Yeah, the idea that this lobbyist could become President

Or Vice President....AAARRRRGGGHHGH.

And thank him that your credit rating and medical history will now be available to almost everyone who wants it, and no one knows the criteria for blocking someone from flying...if there are any...

[JohnOneillsMemory]

4. But-but-Clark could win!! Oh yeah, he has no democratic principles. Tsk.

[cprise]

9. He has all the language, though: "I'm a Liberal!"

What BS... Another big-lie politician.

[BeHereNow]

8. More on Wes and Homeland SS involvement

All about Wes and the Capps:
(As usual, he has declined to comment)
http://www.counterpunch.org/donahue10012003.html

Also to be noted and considered by those who
do consider things objectively- Clark is a major
stock holder and former board member of Entrust-
Created and funded by Nortel from Axciom.
Nortel? Carlucci and Computer Sciences- you know
Dyncorp? Entrust has just landed a fat contract
with Tom Ridge and Homeland SS. Technology?
To be applied in this and other sysytems, including
tracking draft evaders...Illinois already has system installed.
Wes for pres?
Better look again.
Follow the money not the rhetoric designed to fool ya
about who this man is and which side his bread
is buttered on.
BHN

[mbperrin]

2. If I get a color that clashes, can I

change it? And no "odd" numbers for me, thanks!

Meanwhile, you passengers quiet down over there! (baaahhh, baaah)

[Lars39]

5. Our borders are slowly closing.

Get on a list with a bad color/rating, will they let you leave the country? Will they let you get back in?

[trotsky]

6. Whoa

Will they let you get back in?

Hadn't thought of that. Now that's scary.

[Lars39]

7. And while you're gone, freeze your assetts.....you're up a creek.

See, they don't have to send us all to Gitmo. :)