DIYbanter - View Single Post - UK gov't to cross-reference private credit-reference / spending datawith tax returns

Alan Gore

wrote:

Your rights to privacy, anonymity, liberty and due process be
dammed.

Privacy and anonymity are NOT "rights." You've got the right to not
incriminate yourself, but that doesn't mean someone else can't.

Does the gov't have the right to demand such information-gathering from
airlines, phone companies, internet service providers and other private
entities?

Does the gov't have the right to dictate security screening practices in
public places, between private parties?

If the gov't made it the law that you had to put a metal detector
outside your front door the next time you held a birthday party for your
kids, and you had to check everyone's ID and submit that info to the
gov't in order to have the party, how would you feel then?

Last I checked, tax evasion was a crime.

Last I checked, unreasonable (if not unnecessary or unjustified) search
and seizure was a violation of your rights.

Are you saying that even if the current insane level of air-travel
security is primarily geared toward spotting patterns that can help the
IRS identify undeclared income - that's ok with you? That you agree
with those tactics because, as you say, tax evasion is a crime?

If people were honest and just paid their damn taxes,
the government wouldn't have to go to great lengths to
catch them.

Maybe the gov't shouldn't be spending so much money on so many unwise
expenditures - such that they need to shake down the citizenry at every
turn to pay for it all.

Between the revenue from people paying their taxes honestly,
and not having to spend $$$ to chase down the evaders,
we'd be a whole lot better off and overall people would be
paying less tax.

You'd be a whole lot better if you didn't start so many illegal wars.

Even the illegal wars you do start were botched and got you nowhere.

Look at what your military spending has gotten you over the past 12
years - you have LESS influence and control in the middle-east now --
and Iran has MORE.