I was looking forward to the Frequent Flier Card till now.....

[XOKCowboy]

I fly a lot. I don't have much to hide and besides I'm far from underground. With my work that's not possible. I fly a lot and I thought that I might be able to pay a fee, have a simple background check like I've been through dozens of times and be able to save a few precious minutes at the airport. To paraphrase the late John Belushi, But NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....

Bushworld is not satisfied with that.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060120/ap_on_go_ot/airport_security_pass

WASHINGTON - Airline passengers who buy a preapproved security pass could have their credit histories and property records examined as part of the government's plan to turn over the Registered Traveler program to private companies.

In announcing the new plan Friday, the Transportation Security Administration said the Registered Traveler card would let frequent fliers go through airport security lines more quickly if they pay a fee, pass a government background check and submit 10 fingerprints. The program will begin June 20.

The agency announced that it would require companies to conduct more in-depth security background checks, for example, "by using commercial data specifically authorized by customers, or by other voluntary means."

TSA spokeswoman Amy von Walter said the agency wanted to be able to identify a terrorist who wasn't already known to law enforcement or intelligence agencies.

[northzax]

1. um, to get the card...

you pay a fee, undergo a background check and provide fingerprints (for ID purposes) how is that different from what you expected?

[XOKCowboy]

2. um... credit history?

If you read the article even the people that Bushworld is trying to give the contracts to are worried about privacy rights.

Just seems to be to show the mindset of this administration where illegal wiretaps and domestic spying are status quo.

[upi402]

3. yep, credit and property histories turned over to private corporations.

two acronyms;
nfg
snafu

[northzax]

7. where do you think your credit and property histories

already are? in the hands of the government? no, they are basically publically avaliable, corporately held information.

[roguevalley]

4. I hear the fee is 100 dollars a year. What is it with these freaks,

wanting to know about my damned house. I would stand in line forever before submitting to this nazi crap.

[philarq]

5. Actually sounds like--

the basic background check if you work for the government in any capacity. I had to go through the basic FBI check to do some work for the U.S. Treasury Dept. and fingerprinting and what not. Rather fun when they looked at my passport, which was not a US one at the time and had lots of interesting destinations and "extra pages" from places like Israel and Cuba.

[XOKCowboy]

8. LOL

I bet that was fun for both of ya!

Yeah I've gone through it to work at the G8 Summit and for access to highly classified companies we deal with locally. I expect that and I really don't have anything to hide. My point was that with all of this information I've already given up willingly they've got a pretty good idea that I'm not a terrorist. I'd also seem like the perfect person to get such a card but it's not enough for this administration. I think it's symbolic of their thirst for absolute power. Just smacks of imperialism or worse to me.

[Hekate]

6. My old sick mother lives in Utah and I live in SoCal; too far to drive

It is hard enough for me to be civil to TSA as it is, and there is no way in hell I'm going to give Big Brother free access to my credit history and property records just to save a few minutes in line. They can ask NSA if they want that much info! :grr:

Hekate

[sarcasmo]

9. Bushco wants everything in this Government to be turned over to

Private Companies.

[Deja Q]

11. In other words - he wants it all given to China. Bottom dollar prices.

:shrug: ??

[Deja Q]

10. Private companies? Oh good. Bottom dollar, whittle @ the edges stuff.

In other words, national security feels less secure now than it did before.