U.S. Government May Have Your Credit Card Records, Too

[babylonsister]

http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2009/01/23/u-s-government-may-have-your-credit-card-records-too/

U.S. Government May Have Your Credit Card Records, Too
By David Knowles
Jan 23rd 2009 8:58AM


Former intelligence officer turned whistleblower, Russell Tice, added new a new wrinkle to the revelations that under the Bush Administration's directives, the U.S. government spied on its own citizens using then-illegal wiretaps. Interviewed by MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, Tice detailed how Uncle Sam got into the business of data mining the credit card information of "tens of thousands" of ordinary Americans, and retains that purchase information to this day. Here's the Q & A:

So, does it matter whether the federal government knows how many pairs of pants you purchased at J. Crew? Well, yes. Of course, the bulk of the credit card records that the government has compiled will simply collect dust in a government warehouse, never to be used against the individual in question. And while defenders of the program will argue that, yet again, means justify ends, that if a potential terrorist attack is thwarted in this big sweep, then it will have been worth it. But an equally likely probability is that such files could be used by our government for less than altruistic purposes.

Suppose that the government wants to have West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller's credit card info on file? Would this be because he was actually suspected of being a terrorist, or because tripping him up on an unrelated matter might cause his political downfall. For that matter, credit card donations to political candidates would certainly be easy to cross-reference and sort. Should an administration (be it Republican or Democratic) be given the power to sort through its citizenry's spending habits?

President Obama has taken quick measures to turn back what it sees as overstepping on the part of the Bush administration. Closing Guantanamo, outlawing torture, and returning to the interrogation guidelines set for in the Army Field Manual, were clear steps that the country will resurrect a pre-9/11 ethical framework. But it remains to be seen what Obama will do about the way business has been being conducted at the NSA.

[Strong Atheist]

1. What a surprise...

... as the kids say: NOT.

[tom_paine]

2. LOL. Of COURSE the Bushies have that data, and have made copies for themselves.

All we have to do (yawn) is wait for the pedestrian whistleblower confirmation of this "wacky conspiracy theory".

[DCKit]

3. Dumbya went on national TV and said they were not using this information for data-mining.

I looked over at the S.O. and said "That's the only reason to collect this type of information. What else COULD you use it for?".

Not that I'm saying I spent several years sifting data for a government contractor who may or may not have supplied the A.G. torturers.

[ThomWV]

4. Jay Rockefeller is a Senator from West Virginia, not New York.

[babylonsister]

5. Thanks; edited. nt

[customerserviceguy]

6. You want privacy?

Then pay in cash, and don't use a store's frequent shopper card, unless you've given phony information. I always assume that every transaction I make with what my mother calls my "communist card" (the ones Safeway uses are red!) goes into a database somewhere.

It would not surprise me to know that my credit card transactions are being similarly filed.

[kentuck]

7. You mean they can follow my $2000 dollar charges to a hooker...?

with just my credit card number??