IP: READ -- "Your Paper Please" say Ashcroft and Ellison, coming soon: Your Assets please?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> From: adw () connectnet com
> Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2001 17:37:23 -0700
> To: declan () well com
>
>
> Some not so obvious reasons to object to the so called "Anti Terrorism 
> Bill" and it's massive internal surveillance apparatus and Oracle CEO 
> Larry Ellison's call for a National ID card.
>
> As an attorney, one of the things that scares me the most is the Federal 
> Government's immense power under the RICO Statutes and it's asset 
> forfeiture provisions.  This article gives a good lay summary, albeit from 
> a source the government has mocked and demonized.  I have not reviewed any 
> of the legal recommendations nor would I endorse them without such 
> review.  I submit it for it's utility on summarizing the dangers of 
> increased federal power under the Terrorism Bill and with a National 
> ID.  Once Ellison gets into the game, not only will they track us, but 
> they will know exactly where to hit you where it hurts because they will 
> be able to efficiently track all our assets even as they change form and 
> move throughout the economy.
>
> Under the 4th ammendment law, if they can legally observe you, anything 
> they find can basically be used as evidence or probably cause. Under the 
> "Terrorism Bill" the limits of who they can observe are almost non 
> existent.  Those limits that do exist are full of holes.  The net effect 
> is that the Government would be able to cast a wide enough net to look at 
> us all.  Do we want such a country where the slightest transgression or 
> facetious remark can be used against us as a RICO predicate to charge 
> conspiracy?  Do you want your house seized because the Federal Internal 
> Surveillance net found that your teenager is selling pot out of the basement?
>
> Many RICO forfeitures are done without any person being charged with a 
> crime. They take your property and make you fight to get it back.  This 
> can cost tens of hundreds of thousands of dollars.  The burden of proof is 
> on the party who's assets were seized.  Police get to keep the 
> booty.  Talk about a perverse incentive. One caveat.  This article comes 
> from a member of the line of thought of the so called "common law patriot 
> movement".  I take no position on their ideology and do not support the 
> fringe members tactics.  One must however acknowledge that the seeds of 
> discontent are being sown in this country.  These people and the word 
> "Patriot" have been demonized by the Federal Government.  Who would have 
> ever thought that people who objected to a massive federal power structure 
> which has usurped it's granted powers under the Constitution would be 
> called crazies?  They may or may not have the right analysis or 
> strategy.  They do see the problem.  So did the founders of our great 
> Nation.  I hope we won't let power mongers such as Ashcroft or his mignon 
> Ellison take away from our children the chance for a life unfettered by an 
> all seeing and every meddling government.  God help America.  We need 
> it.  Please help.
>
> "Most [revolutions] have been [ended] by a subversion of that liberty 
> [they were] intended to establish." --Thomas Jefferson to George 
> Washington, 1784. ME 4:218, Papers 7:106
>
> "What institution is insusceptible of abuse in wicked hands?" --Thomas 
> Jefferson to L. H. Girardin, 1815. ME 14:270
>
> "Whensoever the General Government assumes undelegated powers, its acts 
> are unauthoritative, void, and of no force." --Thomas Jefferson: Draft 
> Kentucky Resolutions, 1798. ME 17:380
>
> Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer --On the eve of Britain's entry into 
> World War II
> "If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without 
> bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not 
> too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with 
> all odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may 
> be even a worse fate. You may have to fight when there is no hope of 
> victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.
>
> [...]
>
> *********


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