You are being watched

George Paine at Warblogging tells you just how you are being wached.

This man, my banker, knows some very private details of my life. He knows where I eat dinner on a daily basis. He knows where I get my coffee. He knows what bars I go to, and when I go to them. He knows where and when I travel. He knows how long I spend in various places, he knows where I like to buy books. He knows that I have donated to political campaigns, he knows which campaigns, and he knows how much I have donated.

...Aquilan's software, and, I'm sure, all other PATRIOT Act verification software, is deeply flawed. This software is prone to false positives, just like the fraud detection software that brought me into the bank on my day off. The PATRIOT Act verification software is as likely to bring the Federal Bureau of Investigation to my door as the fraud detection software was to bring me to my bank branch. It is likely to necessitate a full government examination of my finances, of my habits, of my life.

...Specifically, Ashcroft and his FBI no longer need to visit with a judge and explain themselves when they want to see your or my bank records. They no longer even have to get a notice from the bank that our banking habits are "suspicious". No longer can a federal judge say "No, I think you're on a fishing expedition. You can't see George Paine's banking information."

Now John Ashcroft — or one of his underlings — simply have to write down on a piece of paper that your or my bank records are somehow related to national security. They must sign this letter and keep it on file. As soon as they do so they may access my bank records and, like my banker, construct little vignettes for themselves about my day-to-day life.

Start using cash, boys and girls.