Several months ago, the angry reaction of the American people forced the government to withdraw its plan to require banks to make a computer profile of all their customers, based on their deposits and withdrawals, and report "suspicious" deviations. … [Read more...] about Banks Keep Deposits Confidential? Don’t Bank On It!
Binge Banking
Earlier this month, Americans were treated to full-page newspaper ads to advertise a product called "Binge Beer." There's no such beer; the ads were an attention-grabbing device to warn college students of the danger from a popular campus diversion … [Read more...] about Binge Banking
Spending Our Social Security Surplus On War
President Clinton has had several good opportunities to stop his Yugoslav war: Jesse Jackson's successful mission to bring home our POWs, the embarrassing bombing of the Chinese embassy, and Milosevic's feeble overtures about withdrawal of his … [Read more...] about Spending Our Social Security Surplus On War
The Taj Mahal Could Be the Tomb of Our Patent System
The elaborate marble mausoleum in India called the Taj Mahal, one of the world's most extravagant monuments, was built as the tomb of an emperor's favorite wife. The proposed new building complex to house the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) … [Read more...] about The Taj Mahal Could Be the Tomb of Our Patent System
Show Me the Money. Know Your Passenger.
"Show me the money." That famous movie line, spoken by an actor who won an Academy Award, helps explain why politicians are racing to establish control over financial, medical, travel, and all other types of American citizens' personal and public … [Read more...] about Show Me the Money. Know Your Passenger.
“Know Your Customer” Stirs up a Hornet’s Nest
The Clinton Administration's stealth plan to monitor everyone's personal bank account has hit a bump in the road. With the public comment score now standing at 20,000-to-18 against the controversial Know Your Customer (KYC) regulation, the … [Read more...] about “Know Your Customer” Stirs up a Hornet’s Nest
What Money Can and Can’t Buy
It looks as if it's a lot easier for big political money to buy Congress than it is to win the hearts of grassroots voters. The Puerto Rico statehood bill, which last year appeared to be a freight train rolling down hill, ran off the track in the … [Read more...] about What Money Can and Can’t Buy
The Costs of Trading in the Global Economy
The radio ads that I heard every morning during most of the Clinton years urging me to invest in the "global economy" have disappeared from the airwaves. It's now clear that "global economy" is a euphemism for transferring American tax dollars and … [Read more...] about The Costs of Trading in the Global Economy
Court Deals Blow to Mandatory College Fees
The decision in Southworth v. Grebe, handed down recently by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, didn't make it onto national television, but it can have a profound effect on American culture and politics. The court held that it is a … [Read more...] about Court Deals Blow to Mandatory College Fees
Fed Bailout Requires Full Investigation
At the same time that Bill Clinton and his economic aides are demanding billions more for the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Federal Reserve arranged for a $3.65 billion bailout of its friends in an investment group running a ""hedge fund'' … [Read more...] about Fed Bailout Requires Full Investigation
