House votes 327-101 to permit warrantless searches of U.S.

[Panther]

So, you wanted to send a little gift to that friend of yours back in Okinawa?

So, you're waiting for that package from Japan and can't understand why it's taking so long?


____________________________________________


http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,52739,00.html

Act Would OK Snail Mail Searches
By Declan McCullagh

2:00 a.m. May 23, 2002 PDT
WASHINGTON -- Just a few years ago, the U.S. Postal Service got
savaged by privacy advocates after suggesting that private mailbox
services were somehow objectionable.

Since services like Mailboxes Etc. could encourage fraud, the post
office declared, businesses must limit anonymity by demanding photo ID
from all customers.

Three years later, the Postal Service's lobbyists are fighting for
Americans' privacy rights -- and opposing a bill in Congress that
would allow U.S. Customs agents to open any internationally-mailed
letter or parcel for almost any reason.

So far, the Postal Service has had little luck: On Wednesday, the U.S.
House of Representatives approved the new surveillance powers by a 327
to 101 vote. The bill, titled the Customs Border Security Act, says
that incoming or outgoing mail can be searched at the border "without
a search warrant."

[...]

[LeeDarrow]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Panther:

So, you wanted to send a little gift to that friend of yours back in Okinawa?

So, you're waiting for that package from Japan and can't understand why it's taking so long?


____________________________________________


http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,52739,00.html

Act Would OK Snail Mail Searches
By Declan McCullagh

2:00 a.m. May 23, 2002 PDT
WASHINGTON -- Just a few years ago, the U.S. Postal Service got
savaged by privacy advocates after suggesting that private mailbox
services were somehow objectionable.

Since services like Mailboxes Etc. could encourage fraud, the post
office declared, businesses must limit anonymity by demanding photo ID
from all customers.

Three years later, the Postal Service's lobbyists are fighting for
Americans' privacy rights -- and opposing a bill in Congress that
would allow U.S. Customs agents to open any internationally-mailed
letter or parcel for almost any reason.

So far, the Postal Service has had little luck: On Wednesday, the U.S.
House of Representatives approved the new surveillance powers by a 327
to 101 vote. The bill, titled the Customs Border Security Act, says
that incoming or outgoing mail can be searched at the border "without
a search warrant."

[...]

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Two words: Due Process.

I have a feeling that the ACLU is going to have a field day with this one and the Supremes are not going to uphold it.

I hope.

Lee Darrow, C.Ht.