The conference report on the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act has been released and it contains a couple of strange provisions dealing with possession of methamphetamine and smuggling of cigarettes.
You already know that the bill reauthorizes surveillance of innocent Americans without their knowledge or even cause to believe they committed — or plan — any kind of wrongdoing, through national security letters. It does, however, now stipulate that you can talk to an attorney if you receive one.
You already know that it reauthorizes so-called “sneak and peek” warrants, and that notification of such searches can be delayed indefinitely. You’ll never know the feds were in your house, and (if you’re reading this) likely found nothing at all.
What you may not know is that it also has a whole bunch of unrelated stuff attached to it now.
For instance, it makes smuggling 10,000 or more cigarettes a federal crime. (A case contains 10,000 cigarettes; 50 cartons of 10 packs of 20 cigarettes.)
It makes federal crimes of methamphetamine possession and distribution, with penalties up to 20 years in prison.
And it makes it illegal to be near “bridges, garages, tracks, warehouses, or other facilities used by railroads, boats or airplanes” with a weapon, or to take photographs of such facilities with “intent to do harm,” with penalties ranging all the way up to the death penalty.
What’s the point of this?
Andrew Cochran says the point is to put a dent in terrorist financing, and indeed, he makes a good point. Terrorists do frequently deal in illegal drugs and smuggle cigarettes to finance their operations.
What he fails to note — or even think about — is whether these things should be illegal in the first place.
Consider cigarette smuggling. This is a problem only because some states have far higher cigarette taxes than others, and becomes more of a problem the higher the taxes get. This sort of situation attracts criminals and induces the formation of organized crime syndicates. It always has done so.
In other words, Eliot Spitzer and the rest of the state of New York are giving the terrorists a big fat black market to use to finance their operations.
Yes, all of this ties in together, unfortunately. What do we do, leave the smokers alone, or create a black market which criminals and terrorists can use to finance their operations? Clearly New York made the wrong choice.
The black markets used by terrorists cannot be permitted to flourish, and this bill does nothing to address the problem. In fact, it will likely make the problem worse.
Congress doesn’t have to make the wrong choice. They are set to vote on the bill any minute now. Contact your representative and Senators and urge them to vote NO on the USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 (PDF).
Too much government caused this problem in the first place, and creating more government isn’t going to fix it.
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Rustifer
Dec 14, 2005
Man, the more I hear about the Patriot act, the more I hate.hate.hate it.
Dec 14, 2005
House approves Patriot Act renewal - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
fromage
Dec 20, 2005
i know
Dec 22, 2005
Patriot Act to be extended for six months - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
Dec 22, 2005
House votes to extend Patriot Act for one month - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
H. nana Davis
Dec 26, 2005
We need more of our existing government (Homeland Security) actively taking a roll in stopping cigarette smuggling amother other things. The illigal foreigner are doing it every day, making millions, laundering the money to overseas Terrorist Groups and buying land, opening cigar stores, living off the profits of their smuggling.
It’s time the authorities too a long hard look at thse ship shod coompanies that us “Importing/Exporting” on their busiess cares. Security has dropped so much by the private delivery services, private airlines like Mailbox, Etc., no one checks what’s shipped in and out, no one cares, these individuals know this and use their services to send illigal cigarette, cigars, drugs, etc., all over the world…then funnel their money mostly to Terrorist Groups. I’ve got evidence in hand on one local mans operation where he made over $360,000.00 and was funneling money to Hezbellah, yet ICE or ATM doesn’thave time to come see me and look at what I have….INS isn’t interest, although the man is in the country illigally since 1997.
What can we do? How can we have him removed? If his store equipment, enventory were all bought with money from cig. smuggling, what can’t the government take it and turn the money over for training, etc. I’m just sick of trying to get something done and can’t accomplish anything. And here I set with a man that’s going to be running for sheriff being one of the crookest in the area. His son is into drugs big time, he’s been know to take him to get his drugs…who know he doesn’t give him what they take off the street during their raid??? It’s just a very crooked legal system here on the east coast of N. C., wish there were sme way to change it and make it right.
Jan 01, 2006
Senate votes to extend Patriot Act for one month - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
Mar 08, 2006
Unpatriotic Patriot Act made permanent - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
t
Oct 02, 2007
some one gave me a pack of cigarretes at a club and since i’ve been smokin them a weird taste in my mouth followed after a buzz feeling that has lasted for a few hours i’m not sure what they put in it and since i read this i want to know where i can take these cigarretes to get checked. i’m definitely gona stop smokin them because i dont like the feeling of aggression and abnormality it gives me. I’m glad i don’t like it .