Supporters of the initiative could get the legislation passed first and save the task of expanding it for a later date. Essentially, the Know Your Customer regulations that irate citizens had previously opposed could silently slip into law through a cleverly designed trap door. One would ordinarily be surprised that our representatives would try to pass the same kind of legislation after the chilly reception they received from their constituents the first time around. Perhaps they believe that it would be more difficult for advocates of individual liberty to rally the same degree of support, since attachment of an international label provides such a tidy distraction. But Americans must prove these misguided legislators wrong if the notion of privacy is to be sustained.
Limited government is based upon unalienable rights that emanate from a divine source.
Government is charged with securing those rights. The rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, and the rights of life, liberty and property, as enumerated in the Constitution, can only flourish when government is restrained. Traditionally, our body of law has viewed personal financial information as an area of privacy requiring even greater protection. Those who believe that government should have more depth and scope of authority have demonstrated an intense persistence in pursuit of their goals. The public would be well served to reassemble the coalition that defeated the original Know Your Customer operation.