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Sen. Bill Forces eBay, Amazon, Google to Report Transactions

freedomworks.org — This is a provision with huge reach, and was slipped into the bill this week. Not only does it affect nearly every credit card transaction, such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express, but the bill specifically targets payment systems like eBay's PayPal, Amazon, and Google Checkout, that are used by many online businesses.

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  • TheDeepFriar, on 06/19/2008, -3/+76Time to proxy!
    • nakani, on 06/19/2008, -0/+22More like a proxy of your entire identity. You'd have to use a pre-paid credit card and something like a P.O. box or another address
      • lisajohnson55, on 06/20/2008, -0/+5There's even problems with that. It's pretty much impossible to use your paypal account unless you verify it using either bank account or credit card, and Paypal does not accept credit cards that are prepaid, but instead only works with ones tied to a bank account. (I've already tried)
    • Darkaged, on 06/19/2008, -1/+23America: Land of the Free.
    • jhonsun, on 06/19/2008, -0/+36Quickly becoming "Land of the Fee"
      • CoolHandLuke70, on 06/20/2008, -0/+12Land of the Fee, Home of the Slave!
    • Charlotte_Web, on 06/19/2008, -10/+5The Democrats are trying to stick it to us again.
      • rebrad, on 06/20/2008, -0/+2This from the same guy that took sweetheart loans from Countrywide. This guy has no ethics whatsoever.
      • Tenbatsu404, on 06/20/2008, -0/+3This is much deeper than a Dem/Repub bitch fight.
      • mitgib, on 06/20/2008, -0/+2The Democrats have been sticking it to us since the New Deal
    • Joedope, on 06/20/2008, -0/+2You 'citizens' buy in to their 'Government' game, again. Thanks for playing. Internet Game over.
    • williamalyssa30, on 07/25/2008, -0/+0Dugg for bstein80 ! Thanks!
      http://www.smiletravelvietnam.com/travelvietnam/vi ...
  • tkeeley, on 06/19/2008, -2/+240This is one step closer to them being able to tax everything that is bought and sold online... and a huge privacy threat.
    • plimpton777, on 06/19/2008, -0/+35Freedom R.I.P.
    • Tenlow, on 06/19/2008, -0/+28I don't think this is one step closer. I think this is the tax. The summary says it's expected to raise $9b over 10 years. It doesn't say how.
      • WRSaunders, on 06/19/2008, -6/+12By capturing the seller information on Paypal transactions. Those sellers can then be required to include their Paypal receipts on their tax returns as income. That income is taxed. All part of the Democrat's plan to tax those folks who are getting rich.
        • Rikkochet, on 06/19/2008, -7/+16Who else would you suggest they tax?
        • LocalDocal, on 06/19/2008, -0/+15Ah yes, the Democrats' plan. Because the Republicans would hate to receive a cut of that billion dollar online shopping industry.

          All the politicians are going to vote for this BS. Both Democrats and Republicans.
        • psion01, on 06/19/2008, -1/+19Rikkochet: I'd suggest that the politicians curb their spending instead of draining more income from private citizens.
        • haxcorner, on 06/20/2008, -0/+2I already claim my PayPal transactions - otherwise I wouldn't have any income to claim; I just don't include buyer receipts w/ specifics. I don't have a problem paying taxes, but I have a problem with how things look at the moment.

          For the record, though, I had a different point of view about paying taxes on my PayPal earnings back when it was part-time cash.
    • dromni, on 06/19/2008, -0/+21You will not want that. Here in Brazil we had since the 90s an horrible tax over transactions, and it took more than a decade until finally it was extinguished by the Congress last year. And now the federal government is trying to ressurect the damn thing again.

      Governments can never be greedy enough when it comes to taxation.
      • dougmc, on 06/19/2008, -3/+9It's probably not a tax on transactions. If you just sell a few things, they probably won't pay much attention to you.

        But if you sell $50k worth of widgets on Ebay, and your IRS tax return doesn't talk about your widget business with $50k of sales, then they're probably going to want to talk to you.
    • rorster, on 06/19/2008, -7/+13Thank the democrats again.
      • SillyDigger, on 06/19/2008, -0/+20Both parties are royally screwing us.

        While you're saying "Damn Democrats!" and the next guy is saying "Damn Republicans!" they're saying "Suckers!"

        Divide and conquer is the best way to describe whats been happening.
      • rorster, on 06/20/2008, -6/+5Well I'm going to go ahead and have to disagree with you there. I'm not saying "Damn Democrats!"

        I'm saying, "Democrats will always find a way to bring you more taxes."

        I'm also saying "People who vote for THEM are the SUCKERS."
      • Tenbatsu404, on 06/20/2008, -0/+6The political climate in America is quickly becoming The Government vs. The People. I wonder when everyone will finally realize this.
    • kcapxis, on 06/19/2008, -0/+28It's more than that. In the United States of America we have what is known as "freedom of association," which the Supreme Court has consistently upheld as a cornerstone of the freedom of speech. It is an indisputable fact that a person who knows that he or she is being monitored will choose not to conduct business which they might normally conduct, even if that business is legitimate. For instance, some people may choose not to order a copy of Ron Paul's new book because if it's suggestive title knowing that the government is monitoring them. Some may not Google their medical conditions. Some may not call their psychiatrist when they really need to.

      What this bill does is contradict in a very direct and very real way this freedom of association. Mr. Dodd is abrogating his responsibility to the American people even submitting this travesty, and in a very real way is thus an enemy of the People. He must be ridiculed, must have his very patriotism challenged, and he must be made to answer for his failure to conduct himself in a manner conducive to the carrying out the oath he swore to each and every one of us. Finally, he must voted out of office at the earliest possible opportunity, else we risk his doing further damage to our very way of life.
    • CalamariAce, on 06/20/2008, -0/+4I bet that if these behemoths stood together - amazon, ebay, paypal, google - and said enough is enough, the gov't would back down on this outrageous idea. These guys certainly don't want it anyways, since it is just another tax wedge which is going to hurt sales.

      Ideally I would like to think these guys will fight tooth and nail against this... let's just hope that the gov't doesn't try to come in and cut them some sort of deal to persuade them to accept this.
    • dillibob, on 06/20/2008, -1/+2not if the republicans stay in office!

      ... not sure if im sarcastic or not
  • mejaredme, on 06/19/2008, -2/+48Digg it.
    • CalamariAce, on 06/20/2008, -0/+4Better still, hound him :D

      U.S. Senator Chris Dodd
      448 Russell Building | Washington D.C., 20510
      Tel: (202) 224-2823 | Fax: (202) 224-1083

      30 Lewis St Suite 101 | Hartford, CT 06103
      Tel: (860) 258-6940/(800) 334-5341 —CT only
      Fax: (860) 258-6958
  • RyanSorba, on 06/19/2008, -3/+32Screw the pooleece!
  • acbrown, on 06/19/2008, -2/+63Hello Big Brother...
  • freedomwv, on 06/19/2008, -2/+150Why is this needed? Why does the government need to have this information?
    • jhonsun, on 06/19/2008, -2/+63They "need" it so that they can tax your online purchases. Someone has to pay for all that government spending and that someone, they've decided, is you. Again.
      • PeppermintPig, on 06/19/2008, -0/+20These companies should stand in solidarity and refuse.
        • orxor, on 06/19/2008, -0/+11Amazon and Overstock are doing that in NY. NY state is making online retailers collect NY state sales tax. Amazon and Overstock have taken them to court.
        • Ravatar, on 06/20/2008, -0/+1orxor: Not because "it's the right thing to do", but because it's going to MAJORLY affect their bottom line.
      • fyngyrz, on 06/19/2008, -1/+23I know you're not saying they really need it, but let me elaborate:

        They don't need it at all. In fact, as your transactions comprise part of your papers, your right to privacy trumps the government's "I wanna look" without any question at all. Same goes for the other party/parties in the case of a multi-party transaction.

        Unless they have probable cause and a judge-issued warrant.

        See the fourth amendment for details:

        "The RIGHT of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, PAPERS, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, SHALL NOT BE VIOLATED, and NO Warrants shall issue, BUT UPON probable cause, SUPPORTED BY Oath or affirmation, AND particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

        The intent here is obvious. The presumption that you must have a warrant to get at someone's papers is unspoken; but it is obvious by context (and furthermore, by the body of law that existed at the time.)

        Dodd swore an oath that says, among other things:

        "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

        Consequently, Dodd is clearly either a moron or a traitor. Either way, he doesn't belong in Washington. He belongs in remedial civics class, or jail.

        This is another perfect example of government attempting to exert power it was never, ever given authority for.
        • hempydave, on 06/20/2008, -1/+3"It's just a GOD DAMM PIECE OF PAPER"
    • geddon, on 06/19/2008, -1/+9Why do the credit companies need your government information (social security, driver license, etc.)?
      • heliox, on 06/19/2008, -1/+13Yeah! and nude pictures! I never understood that.
      • Yez70, on 06/19/2008, -0/+5They may not need the information, but then again you can choose to not do business with any credit card company. There really isn't anything else you can do about it.

        You can't choose not to do business with your own government though. You have no choice, other than moving out of the country, but then they'll legally search you when you leave if they choose too.
    • Rikkochet, on 06/19/2008, -5/+18The government needs it so they can go after people cheating on their taxes... You know, the taxes that aren't technically legal to begin with?
      • lbdinh, on 06/20/2008, -0/+1Amazon/Google -> supplier
        you -> consumer
        government -> middleman, and they want their cut
      • cquinnd, on 06/22/2008, -0/+1The taxes are illegal argument has been debunked.

        And these Senators want companies to start tracking this information to make it easier for the next step, which would be a repeal of the moratorium congress placed on taxing online transactions back when the Internet first went commercial.
        In other words, the "tax free" status of online transactions was never meant to be permanent, we've just enjoyed the period that was meant to encourage growth of business on the net.
    • breakerjump, on 06/20/2008, -0/+5What's really amusing is that there's no reason to worry about this - for the time being. Why, you ask? Because George Bush, the man that inhabits all of the digg collective's nightmares, has promised to veto it. Go figure.
    • ByteGuerilla, on 06/20/2008, -0/+6So that they can see what you buy, when you buy it, and combine it with every other time you show up on the grid to build up behavioural profiles of you.
    • LenBaird, on 06/20/2008, -0/+3They see you as their property, and responsible property owners keep track of what their property does at all times.
    • bill1328, on 06/20/2008, -0/+1of course...to take over your life.....Zeke Heil!!!!
  • jojensen, on 06/19/2008, -3/+60Get this out of the bill!!! The government is really over reaching here
  • 1337chic, on 06/19/2008, -1/+74These senators adding riders onto every bill are getting ridiculous. I'm pissed about the original bill, and double pissed about what they are adding on. Hopefully this add on will get the bill to fail and Dodd will have to deal with knowing his cute little addon cost him getting his stupid f*cking bill passed.
    • Ajscott123, on 06/19/2008, -0/+5Here's the add-on in case you don't feel like browsing through the Bill (check out the last sentence especially):

      Revenue Provisions

      Payment Card and Third Party Network Information Reporting. The proposal requires
      information reporting on payment card and third party network transactions. Payment settlement
      entities, including merchant acquiring banks and third party settlement organizations, or third party
      payment facilitators acting on their behalf, will be required to report the annual gross amount of
      reportable transactions to the IRS and to the participating payee. Reportable transactions include
      any payment card transaction and any third party network transaction. Participating payees include
      11
      persons who accept a payment card as payment and third party networks who accept payment from
      a third party settlement organization in settlement of transactions. A payment card means any card
      issued pursuant to an agreement or arrangement which provides for standards and mechanisms for
      settling the transactions. Use of an account number or other indicia associated with a payment card
      will be treated in the same manner as a payment card. A de minimis exception for transactions of
      $10,000 or less and 200 transactions or less applies to payments by third party settlement
      organizations. The proposal applies to returns for calendar years beginning after December 31,
      2010. Back-up withholding provisions apply to amounts paid after December 31, 2011. ****This
      proposal is estimated to raise $9.802 billion over ten years.****

      Can someone please explain how this "information reporting" (invasion of privacy) will raise $9.8 billion for our federal government? Sounds like a hoard of s h it to me.
      • KCLorelei39, on 06/20/2008, -0/+1required reporting in order to prepare for some kind of massive taxation? the part about the back-up withholding provisions seems to indicate some kind of future tax, imho
  • legolas68, on 06/19/2008, -16/+83Do you pinheads still believe in your liberal senators? Chris Dodd has a D behind his name.

    Better bury it now Diggers!
    • Simonft, on 06/19/2008, -14/+5Just because it is in his bill does not mean he put it in.
      • Wargalas, on 06/19/2008, -3/+14Oh please, you're just trying to backtrack. If this was on McCain's bill, you'd throw him under the bus in a heartbeat.
        • PeppermintPig, on 06/19/2008, -1/+6Can any of you tell me who put it in then???
    • PoopStick, on 06/19/2008, -3/+14Democrats Call for Nationalization of Refineries..
      • Simonft, on 06/19/2008, -7/+1Personally I would love that, but i think a few Digg users would be unhappy.
    • nakani, on 06/19/2008, -3/+30The Democrats and Republicans are two sides of the same coin, WAKE UP people!
      • 1337chic, on 06/20/2008, -0/+4"What a bunch of garbage, liberal, Democratic, conservative, Republican, it's all there to control you, two sides of the same coin! Two management teams, bidding for control of the CEO job of Slavery Incorporated! The TRUTH is out there in front of you, but they lay out this buffet of LIES! I'm SICK of it, and I'M NOT GONNA TAKE A BITE OUT OF IT! DO YA GOT ME? Resistance is NOT futile, we're gonna win this thing, humankind is too good, WE'RE NOT A BUNCH OF UNDERACHIEVERS, WE'RE GONNA STAND UP, AND WE'RE GONNA BE HUMAN BEINGS! WE'RE GONNA GET FIRED UP ABOUT THE REAL THINGS, THE THINGS THAT MATTER - CREATIVITY, AND THE *DYNAMIC* *HUMAN* *SPIRIT* THAT REFUSES TO *SUBMIT*!"

        ~Waking Life (a great movie)
        • silveravnt, on 06/20/2008, -0/+2I'm going to fight tooth and nail on this... as soon as I get to the end of GTAIV
        • themikeb, on 06/20/2008, -0/+2Same turds different piles.
          Federal Reserve( private bankers btw) have bought and sold politicians since their creation in 1913.LOOK IT UP
          It is us against them! Corporate owned tv, paper, radio will never report the truth .Look up Operation Mockingbird....goes back decades, we have been sold out as sheep a little at a time,just like the frog in boiling water...WAKE UP!!!!!!

          RevolutionMarch July 12 Washingtion DC
    • rabidmonkey1, on 06/19/2008, -0/+12Pretty much anyone in Washington these days is a fascist. It's all about maintaining control over your life...
    • shojihin, on 06/20/2008, -1/+3Don't place so much emphasis on the R or D. Any politician who endorses this corrupt use of power deserves to be uprooted from his position.
      • jasonshaffer, on 06/20/2008, -0/+2B.S. It's for increasing taxes and control over our lives. Therefore, it will be almost all Ds with a few "Maverick" R's.
    • Hamletlere, on 06/20/2008, -0/+6Acutally, the article said the 630-page bill was Senator Dodd's bill. It said that this provision was added last week. It does not say that Dodd added the provision. I was really hoping it would be able to tell us who did, but it only said "the bill's managers added it without debate."
      • benecere, on 06/20/2008, -0/+1Dodd DIDN'T add the provision.

        Max Baucus,( D-Mont). and Chuck Grassley,( R-Iowa,) did. (Senate Finance Committee Chair and Finance Committee ranking minority member, respectively.)

        This was originally part of Bush's 2006 Budget proposal, I'm not sure how it came to be reintroduced as a hidden "gotcha" on Dodd's bill, or what motivation this dual-party claims motivated them to reintroduce it.
  • 19592, on 06/19/2008, -8/+39I am glad we have big goverment to keep an eye on everything.
  • tgait, on 06/19/2008, -2/+62yes, this is a great time to throttle down the commerce on the net, great idea guys
  • internate, on 06/19/2008, -2/+41Crazy and scary. Big Brother for President.
    • trixterIreland, on 06/19/2008, -4/+4GOBAMA! (same party as the sponsor of this bill)
      • tidu, on 06/19/2008, -4/+2Or GOCAIN! (same party that sponsors every other evil thing we hear about on Digg)

        Obama's just the lesser of two evils...
    • geddon, on 06/19/2008, -0/+4How does it benefit you to let the credit companies have exclusive access to your history? If that ***** affects my life as heavily as it does then I damn well want some legal means to do something about it.
  • bstein80, on 06/19/2008, -3/+49Just one more reason to kill this bailout.

    Call your Senators at 866-928-3035.

    Listen to these radio ads, too: http://www.freedomworks.org/audio/HousingBailout.m ...
  • wizbor, on 06/19/2008, -1/+106Best question asked by articles author, "...Why is Sen. Chris Dodd-D putting this provision in a housing bailout bill?..."

    • MellerTime, on 06/19/2008, -3/+3I seriously never would have expected this from Dodd...
    • LenBaird, on 06/20/2008, -1/+4Because none of them actually read the bills, and this is the way they pass thousands of horrible laws.
    • synarchy, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1fta: The proposal applies to returns for calendar years beginning after December 31, 2010. Back-up withholding provisions apply to amounts paid after December 31, 2011. This proposal is estimated to raise $9.802 billion over ten years.

      More money in their soft, grubby, paws.
  • jhonsun, on 06/19/2008, -2/+58 Maybe Congress should stop spending on credit and leave the rest of us alone.
    • NJank, on 06/23/2008, -0/+1well, that is why they want these taxes. So that at least a little bit less of their spending will be on credit. How else will they pay for all of their constituents' programs without cutting anything else?
  • vonmises05, on 06/19/2008, -1/+35Bills have become overcomplicated. If Congress proposes legislation, than it must be clear and understandable by the individuals who are responsible for their senators and congressman. If the Congress wishes to propose legislation on internet commerce, than it must be in a separate bill. Otherwise, things don't look right. The housing legislation is had in and of itself. This bill should not go through because of that, and tacking on additional legislation which should be voted on separately is not going to make it any clearer.
    • jhonsun, on 06/19/2008, -0/+9Yeah, and that's their goal. Some of the most pernicious legislation ever passed was buried in body of an unrelated bill. It's done by all establishment politicians regardless of party. That's why you can't just look at your ballot and vote for whatever name or bill title stands out to you. It's so easy to get independent information on politics these days (candidates, bill analysis, etc.) - even down to local non-partisan races - that there's no excuse anymore for not being educated on the politics that are changing your life while your at work or sleeping.
    • Dumbledorito, on 06/19/2008, -0/+9It's not just that. They tack on pet projects to "must pass" bills (like defense spending) or political hot-button provisions to both score points with the single-issue voters back home as well as to kill legislation they don't like. Then, other stuff is put in to guarantee votes from various state representatives.

      God forbid that our legislative representation would have to TALK to each other and NEGOTIATE about more narrowly-focused bills, since that would cut into their tee-times and other vital duties.
  • nannyx, on 06/19/2008, -2/+32this goes nicely with the ridiculous fingerprint registry: http://cei.org/articles/distrust-fund

    • trixterIreland, on 06/19/2008, -1/+4and the democrat initiative for the national ID card that was ruthelessly fought by those evil republicans because they felt it would be unconstitutional. How dare they stop such an important initiative! They should just let the democrats do whatever they want after all they have never done anything bad for anyone have they?

      GOBAMA!
      • JHB800, on 06/19/2008, -1/+4Obama supports the fingerprint registry you twit. Get out of your ***** cave and try and read sometimes.
        • Stirk, on 06/20/2008, -0/+2Don't take my word on this, but I think he added "Gobama" sarcastically, seeing as the rest of his post is also sarcastic.
  • laxjax31, on 06/19/2008, -1/+43I feel like the federal government hovers over me worse than my own mother...note to Washington: GO AWAY!
  • gundamtsubasa, on 06/19/2008, -1/+22Senator Dodd, Cory Doctorow's Little Brother was a fictional account of the horrors of eroding freedoms and government spying on ordinary citizens, not a how-to guide.
  • OldWiseOne, on 06/19/2008, -1/+39I'm from Virginia and it's against legislature rules to hide unrelated provisions in a bill that is totally non-related - we need to let Congress know it will not be tolerated. This is a prime example of trying to "slip one over on the people" because no one has time to read every word of every pile of dung they introduce.
    • gundamtsubasa, on 06/19/2008, -0/+2Unfortunately, the rules on germaneness are far more lax in the Senate than they are in the House. This was completely within the rules.

      "Germaneness of amendments is not required in the Senate, except in four specific instances: 1) if a unanimous consent agreement so requires; 2) in the post-cloture period (see previous section); 3) if a rule-making provision in a statute so requires (e.g., provisions of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974 governing consideration of budget resolutions and reconciliation bills); and 4) if the underlying measure is a general appropriations bill."

      senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30945.pdf
      • OldWiseOne, on 06/20/2008, -0/+1It really is a broken system. I think it's at the Humpty Dumpty point where it can never be resurrected as a viable means of getting things done for the people. I guess I'm at my wits end but I sent this today to Jim Webb who supposedly represents me, ha.

        "Although you don't think it necessary to provide enough space in your in box for constituent mail and my mail came back to me with a pleasant "inbox is full" message, I thought I would send it again anyway. I realize you receive a great deal of mail but it's your job to address it; every single piece of it. This is due to the fact that I pay your salary and you should act accordingly. I doubt my employer would accept a "go away" message from me when he wanted me to address something."

  • brentfranks, on 06/19/2008, -3/+29Somehow everyone will find a way to blame this on the Republicans even thought it is Dodd's workings... Just wait..
    • evil-doer, on 06/19/2008, -2/+4first off. i dont see people blaming republicans. i see people saying its bad and trying to stop it.

      but lets turn things around. if this were a republican who did this. would you support it?
      im guessing: yes
      • jimmyb3, on 06/19/2008, -4/+3Of course not you moron. This is a bad rider slipped into an unrelated bill. Unlike you leftist Kool-Aid drinking DiggLibbers, we don't bandwagon everything. It's a bad rider, and it fails on the merits.
        • yacks, on 06/19/2008, -1/+2LOL Republicans are a party full of bandwagonners.. They tend to have more unity because they just go along with everything in their party.. There is more division in the Democratic party because they have squabbles over everything.. Pick your poison I guess.
    • slvrbullet87, on 06/19/2008, -0/+5They aren't blaming republicans, but at the same time they aren't treating Dodd like a republican. Notice every comment doesn't trail into a comment about ***** Obama(instead of Bush)
    • hemiroid, on 06/20/2008, -0/+0ONLY if the Republican President signs it....

      That is why we have the 3 branches of government... albeit sometimes the 3 branches are all on the same page about screwing the people over it gives us the people a chance to say WTF.

      Problem is there is not a lot of people saying WTF, just people going to the store for more lubrication for their a@@holes so it doesn't hurt so much.
      Hey it wouldn't hurt at all if we just said WTF. We won't allow you to do that! Try it again and your ass is out.

      • woobyluv, on 06/20/2008, -0/+0There are actually 4 branches of the government. The Bureaucracy has evolved into a separate branch through the actions of the Executive and Legislative branches and condoned by the Judicial. Think my statement is a stretch? Try seeing about canceling any govt program that has been legislated into existence. You will see that it is nearly impossible.

        It's also difficult to say WTF to something when they do their level best to keep the American people distracted from what is really important. Most people just don't care enough to do any independent research into govt affairs.
    • Pantadon, on 06/20/2008, -0/+0Republicans?, Democrats? Only jackasses think that there's a real difference. The majority on both sides are actually neo-cons.
  • monkiboi, on 06/19/2008, -1/+34So much for the land of the free.
    Things just keep getting worse.
    I feel like big brother wants too much.
    This should not be a democrat vs.republican issue , but a government vs. the people.
    • whahaa, on 06/19/2008, -0/+2in soviet russia, government controls you!

      hm...
  • robthej, on 06/19/2008, -1/+30This bill explodes the size of gov't - KILL IT!
  • sakowski, on 06/19/2008, -1/+30Bad for America!
    • darkciti2, on 06/19/2008, -6/+2Thanks Republican Senate!
      • Papajohn56, on 06/20/2008, -0/+1are you retarded, a democrat introduced this bill
  • beartraprr, on 06/19/2008, -1/+31This is just awful and wrong and needs to be stopped. Not only is it an invasion or privacy, against what this country used to stand for and so many more things, who is going to pay for monitoring and tracking all this information. And the Democrats WONDER why Bush got re-elected for a 2nd term, they pull crap like this. Leave the small people alone who are struggling to make ends meet and kill that bill.
  • katorga, on 06/19/2008, -2/+30I worked in the Senate. They don't even read the bills. Most are written by lobbyists or staffers in concert with lobbyists?
    • knaab, on 06/19/2008, -0/+5Is this a question or a statement? I guess your comment is a dead giveaway that you did indeed work in the Senate. They don't know if they are answering or asking a question either.

      Sorry to knock on you but I couldn't pass that up, nothing personal and I totally agree with you on the fact that they don't read their own bills.
    • silveravnt, on 06/20/2008, -0/+3So they just sign any ***** thing in front of them?
  • Gandalff, on 06/19/2008, -2/+22So much for helping your neighbor sell something from the attic or garage. Now you will have to charge him/her or the elderly person you were originally trying to help incase you get hit with IRS penalties. Thanks Chris Dodd ! ! !
    • woobyluv, on 06/20/2008, -0/+4There is another reason to be concerned about this Bill. The information can be used to create a purchasing profile on you and when you deviate from the established pattern it raises red flags. It's a clear violation of privacy and definitely gives the govt far too much access to our lives.
  • gundamtsubasa, on 06/19/2008, -13/+3Hold on a second. My Google-fu is above average, and the only other mentions of this bill I can find are copy-paste jobs of this very article. I can't find any article that mentions just what the bill number for this thing is. Do a thomas.loc.gov search for specific words that are supposedly quoted from this bill and it turns up nothing. I tried to call Adam Brandon, the press secretary of FreedomWorks, and I got an answering machine. I'm as paranoid as anyone else about government, but something seems fishy about this.
  • tkeeley, on 06/19/2008, -1/+20Don't worry, it's all right here: http://rpc.senate.gov/public/_files/L62HR3221House ...
    • panicofficer, on 06/19/2008, -2/+5From the PDF: (Note the last line!! It's all about $$)

      "Revenue Provisions
      Payment Card and Third Party Network Information Reporting. The proposal requires
      information reporting on payment card and third party network transactions. Payment settlement
      entities, including merchant acquiring banks and third party settlement organizations, or third party
      payment facilitators acting on their behalf, will be required to report the annual gross amount of
      reportable transactions to the IRS and to the participating payee. Reportable transactions include
      any payment card transaction and any third party network transaction. Participating payees include
      12
      persons who accept a payment card as payment and third party networks who accept payment from
      a third party settlement organization in settlement of transactions. A payment card means any card
      issued pursuant to an agreement or arrangement which provides for standards and mechanisms for
      settling the transactions. Use of an account number or other indicia associated with a payment card
      will be treated in the same manner as a payment card. A de minimis exception for transactions of
      $10,000 or less and 200 transactions or less applies to payments by third party settlement
      organizations. The proposal applies to returns for calendar years beginning after December 31,
      2010. Back-up withholding provisions apply to amounts paid after December 31, 2011. This
      proposal is estimated to raise $9.802 billion over ten years."
      • NoBailouts, on 06/19/2008, -0/+6Who would spend $9.8 billion better, consumers or the government? Naturally consumers. They just don't get it though... but eventually there will be an uproar that they cant silence.
    • WRSaunders, on 06/19/2008, -1/+4They need this provision to raise $10B in revenue. Read the link, and you will see that they are paying for the housing bailout by collecting seller data on every Paypal transaction. Without this, the housing bill costs 6 times as much.

      Fact facts, Democrats like to raise your taxes. Fat Cats aren't the ones using Paypal, so don't let them tell you that they only want to tax Fat Cats.
  • bstein80, on 06/19/2008, -1/+10If anyone has questions about the bill, call 202-942-7612.
  • POWERSELLER1, on 06/19/2008, -4/+20Does not surprise me , this is an old trick, tacking on unpopular riders to needed legeslation..
    • justz00t, on 06/19/2008, -1/+11I would hardly call bailing out irresponsible home loan lenders and borrowers with my money as "needed legislation".

      Maybe they should just fix the problem and let the market correct itself and not reward ignorance with my and others hard earned and deserved money. Better yet abolish the federal reserve that made these high interest loans available with cheap credit where a free market would never permit such.
  • jeltringham, on 06/19/2008, -1/+20Now, now, I'm sure the information will only be used when absolutely necessary, right?

    Right?
  • panicofficer, on 06/19/2008, -1/+29And the politicians wonder why their favorable ratings are so low. Americans are suffering through energy driven inflation and all they're worried about is finding more ways to snoop on us and fill their pockets.
    • NoBailouts, on 06/19/2008, -0/+7Absolutely, there is no logical explanation for why a bill pertaining to online merchants would be bundled into a housing bailout bill. It's unacceptable. If only more people knew what was really happening.
  • Hope4USA, on 06/19/2008, -2/+18Will this be enough for people to say enough is enough? Probably not, but one can hope.
  • whataboutdave, on 06/19/2008, -1/+19What utter *****.
  • mattalice, on 06/19/2008, -5/+20The dem's trying to dip in everything now. Just wait.... They only have the legislature and the judicial branch right now. Wait until they have the presidency, legislative, and judicial. You think big brother is bad now? It will only get bigger and more controlling. Less freedom is on the way. Thank the democrats for their wonderful ideas of global warming laws to stupid crap like this.
    • darkened, on 06/19/2008, -2/+3Amen brother.
    • darkciti2, on 06/19/2008, -4/+1Uhm, you do know that the Senate is controlled by Republicans right now, right?
    • darkciti2, on 06/19/2008, -4/+1Uhm, you do know that the Republicans are in control of the Senate right now, right?
      • acbrown, on 06/20/2008, -0/+0Uhm, you do realize you look like a fool. The current balance of power in the Senate is 49 - 49 with two Independents who caucus with the Democrats, which essentially gives the Democrats a 51-49 MAJORITY (this means they are in control).
        Sen. Harry Reid, a Democrat, is the MAJORITY leader.
        Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Republican, is the MINORITY leader.

        Do I need to spell this out any clearer? Seriously, it's on the Senate site for kids.
      • mattalice, on 06/27/2008, -0/+1I can see why you are so ignorant of your politics dark. All you comment on is the new NIN album and super mario bros. Go back to the children's sandbox and play there. Leave the politics to the big boys & girls.
  • jasonshaffer, on 06/19/2008, -3/+10In other news, the Democrat congress fights intelligence gathering by tracking international terrorist phone calls. Who's side are they on?
  • Simonft, on 06/19/2008, -11/+3The source is fishy.
    http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Freedom ...
  • FukUrCouch, on 06/19/2008, -2/+14Just another move to start taxing all internet transactions.....
    • wellsad1, on 06/20/2008, -0/+0why is this such a negative? you get taxed whenever you buy something at 7-11. its called sales tax. online retailers have been skirting this for years, if you want a national defense you better be willing to pay for it.
  • Tippy77, on 06/19/2008, -4/+20Typical democrat big brother stuff just like years ago. This stinks to high heaven. Impeach Congress and charge Dodd with treason.
    • siszam, on 06/19/2008, -3/+2Republicans wanted the Patriot Act. That's not big brother? Both sides are in this together. Bush has grab the most power and gotten rid of more rights than any other president and you're surprised when either party abuses that power?
  • zugzug01, on 06/19/2008, -2/+20Democrats looking for more money ? Really ? Nothing new here... Gotta pay for that increase in congressional earmarks. Hope for change.... er hope you have change left...
  • Minarchian, on 06/19/2008, -1/+21This screams out for an Amendment to force the Legislature to have one bill/one subject.

    If an amendment is not germane to the bill, it should be summarily rejected.
    • jontalisman, on 06/20/2008, -0/+4I wish I could give this a 100 diggs. It's what I've said for years...
  • hybridfitness1, on 06/19/2008, -1/+31The year is 1984
    • starmanfalls, on 06/19/2008, -0/+6And it looks like the pigs are going to win this one.
    • Heywoodj, on 06/20/2008, -0/+7Sadly the only thing Orwell got wrong was the date.
    • Pantadon, on 06/20/2008, -0/+4Things are actually on track to be worse then 1984.
  • n0xz, on 06/19/2008, -1/+6Is that they have to report all transactions that are over $10k/transaction or the total of all transactions if they reached over 10k/year ?
    --
  • bc4rb0n, on 06/19/2008, -1/+11guess i won't be buying from them anymore. Especially with ebay's fees.
    • cmapes2, on 06/21/2008, -1/+2Ebay should really sweat this, with the massive seller walkouts that were happening earlier this year due to massive increases in ebay and paypal fees, this may be the death of the company.
  • whatthehell9, on 06/19/2008, -2/+9yeah and the masses keep wanting one of those two Senators for President....
  • jake07, on 06/19/2008, -1/+23No respect for Dodd. He snuck it in, too.
    • wellsad1, on 06/20/2008, -1/+1Hey genius, its a republican measure added by Dick Shelby, the republican co-author. You guys are taking your talking points from a former republican house majority leader, who was chased out of office for being too right wing. do some research and think before you speak.
  • 55mph, on 06/19/2008, -1/+15They slip this ***** in as a provision within a larger bill. Sneaky fukers!
  • LanceUppercut, on 06/19/2008, -1/+16Hm, this is probably to catch big ebay sellers not reporting their income. Regardless, it does suck, especially if they find out what I have spent on my amazon prime account. UPS pays road taxes through fuel, so its not like Ohio doesn't get money from me ordering a book or miter saw etc since it is in fact delivered by truck.
    • trixterIreland, on 06/19/2008, -0/+4well it goes further, if you buy from a book seller that largely is a group the government doesnt like, they know where before they may not. As a result censorship becomes more possible.
      • LanceUppercut, on 06/19/2008, -0/+2Thanks :) I did order the Carmen Electra Striptease dvd for the fiance, and I am sure it breaks some law in Utah.

        I am installing CCTV for my front door tomorrow. I want to escape w/ the dvd out the back.
    • pdrizzo, on 06/19/2008, -1/+1Yes, this would be a problem, except the reporting is only a yearly total activity to any given retailer, not specific consumers. The IRS is going to get a document from (for example) First Data, which is the world's largest credit card processor, stating that Random Small Merchant processed a total of $100,000 in credit card transactions in the past year. There is nothing in the bill that requires or requests any data about individual consumers / cardholders.
      • LanceUppercut, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1Thank you, i figured they already had this data since they receive all banking activity for a business or person, and those are usually ACH transactions that deposit the day after the charge has cleared, usually a week or less.
  • squickyclean, on 06/19/2008, -1/+12Such absolute GARBAGE! Fortunately this hasn't been passed as of my posting and I pray Senator Dodd's office catches absolute hell over this. Either he has no clue how bad this will ruin what economy remains, or should we ask ourselves, could this be part of The Plan?? The bum deserves a recall election and in my opinion isn't entitled to even a red devalued penny of his pension. Before he goes draconian on We The Sheeple, he and his cronies need to get us out of the Middle East, fix the VA hospital system, fix Medicare and Social Insecurity. I'm just getting warmed up!!
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