Never heard of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)? It’s the latest reactionary bureaucracy created by the federal government in response to a crisis of the government’s own making …
It’s also one of the many government agencies improperly collecting and storing our electronic information – specifically our credit card transactions.
Established in 2011, the CFPB was the subject of a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from Judicial Watch. According to the advocacy group, various contract documents obtained through this FOIA reveal the agency “has spent millions of dollars for the warrantless collection and analysis of Americans’ financial transactions.” Not only that, the CFPB is apparently sharing this information with other government entities.
Yeah … yet another example of U.S. President Barack Obama’s “Evil Empire” at work …
“The Obama administration’s warrantless collection of the private financial information of millions of Americans is mind-blowing,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Is there anything that this administration thinks it can’t do? These documents show that the Consumer Financial Protection Board is an out-of-control government agency that threatens the fundamental privacy and financial security of Americans. This is every bit as serious as the controversy over the NSA’s activities.”
We agree …
Like our nation’s broader domestic spying initiative, these programs trample all over our Fourth Amendment freedoms. Government has no business whatsoever obtaining a record of individual Americans’ credit card transactions unless it first obtains a warrant for that information based on probable cause.
In fact that’s why our constitution explicitly enjoined it from doing so except under those circumstances …
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40 comments
I’ll bet when you add up what we are paying for our glorious gov’t to spy on us and our allies when accounting for the various agencies, their employees, subcontractors, & infrastructure that the dollar amount is MASSIVE.
All “off the books” too most likely- I doubt you could even get an accurate accounting if you were the President.
The 4th amendment is dead and the unelected bureaucrats(FBI, NSA, CIA, etc.) are in control. Yay!
USA! USA!
I’ll bet when you add up what we are paying for our glorious gov’t to spy on us and our allies when accounting for the various agencies, their employees, subcontractors, & infrastructure that the dollar amount is MASSIVE.
All “off the books” too most likely- I doubt you could even get an accurate accounting if you were the President.
The 4th amendment is dead and the unelected bureaucrats(FBI, NSA, CIA, etc.) are in control. Yay!
USA! USA!
1) Highest incarceration rate of its citizens in the world; 2) President claims the authority to kill its citizens without a trial if they are deemed enemies of the State; 3) President claims the authority to indefinitely detain citizens if they are deemed enemies of the State; 4) Government has undertaken the largest data collection program in world history, and done it all in secret with almost no oversight; and 5) Snowden and Greenwald, the two men who try to shine light on this program, are yelled at by the Establishment and their lapdogs in the media as traitors. And in three days, we will here the sickening grovel about how free and grand America is. How in the world can any of us claim that we are a free nation and condone/allow the above monstrosities to be committed daily? God what hypocrites we are.
Surveillance is privacy, control is freedom?
Exactly. Go back to work citizen, nothing to see here. If you are distressed pop a soma and know that your country has your best interests at heart.
Those in gov’t are angels working on your behalf. They have no self interest.
If you feel otherwise we’ll be happy to note it in your file and suggest a civics class for you in Room 101.
1) Highest incarceration rate of its citizens in the world; 2) President claims the authority to kill its citizens without a trial if they are deemed enemies of the State; 3) President claims the authority to indefinitely detain citizens if they are deemed enemies of the State; 4) Government has undertaken the largest data collection program in world history, and done it all in secret with almost no oversight; and 5) Snowden and Greenwald, the two men who try to shine light on this program, are yelled at by the Establishment and their lapdogs in the media as traitors. And in three days, we will here the sickening grovel about how free and grand America is. How in the world can any of us claim that we are a free nation and condone/allow the above monstrosities to be committed daily? God what hypocrites we are.
Surveillance is privacy, control is freedom?
Exactly. Go back to work citizen, nothing to see here. If you are distressed pop a soma and know that your country has your best interests at heart.
Those in gov’t are angels working on your behalf. They have no self interest.
If you feel otherwise we’ll be happy to note it in your file and suggest a civics class for you in Room 101.
OMFG
OMFG
Don’t just blame Obama. The Republicans are squarely behing him on this.
I Agree. The Repuklicrats and the Demlicans are responsible.
Don’t just blame Obama. The Republicans are squarely behing him on this.
I Agree. The Repuklicrats and the Demlicans are responsible.
If folk had read the msm media they so abhor, they would know that CFPB was part of Dodd-Frank. So how this is “secret” is beyond understanding. CFPB was set up by Elizabeth Warren. Obama withdrew her nomination when the Repubs said they would block it. I guess she got the last laugh as she is now the senior senator from MA.
The stated purpose of the CFPB was to bundle together tasks from several agencies. They are supposed to monitor the actions of financial institutions in their relations with individuals. With all the honest and above board folk in the banks and on Wall Street, the public does not need protection, right?
Do you really think that gathering and identifying large swaths of individual’s personal financial transactions, without having to justify a need in a court of law, is protecting consumer interests? One can conduct oversight on Wall Street without needing the volume of information the CFPB has obtained, requested or demanded.
What information, exactly, have they “demanded”?
You seem to be ignoring the group that needs the most oversight. The banks.
I am with you on making sure the banks act within the law. In April, Senate Banking Committee member Mike Crapo from Idaho lashed out at the CFPB’s director in a hearing for what he said were CFPB actions that amounted to surveillance/spying. Senator Mike Enzi from Wyoming has stated that the CFPB’s actions are the equivalent to the NSA’s information gathering. It seems as if these hearings are based on complaints to and by the US Chamber of Commerce. Given the extent to which both parties have used and currently use the power and scope of the federal government to obtain information that many feel should be private and protected, I welcome any type of hearing that would shed light on what the CFPB is actually doing.
Appears the problem is in definition. How can any agency charged with making sure entities follow the rules do so without information. Are they to sit back and wait on the regulated entities to “fess” up?
If folk had read the msm media they so abhor, they would know that CFPB was part of Dodd-Frank. So how this is “secret” is beyond understanding. CFPB was set up by Elizabeth Warren. Obama withdrew her nomination when the Repubs said they would block it. I guess she got the last laugh as she is now the senior senator from MA.
The stated purpose of the CFPB was to bundle together tasks from several agencies. They are supposed to monitor the actions of financial institutions in their relations with individuals. With all the honest and above board folk in the banks and on Wall Street, the public does not need protection, right?
Do you really think that gathering and identifying large swaths of individual’s personal financial transactions, without having to justify a need in a court of law, is protecting consumer interests? One can conduct oversight on Wall Street without needing the volume of information the CFPB has obtained, requested or demanded.
What information, exactly, have they “demanded”?
You seem to be ignoring the group that needs the most oversight. The banks.
I am with you on making sure the banks act within the law. In April, Senate Banking Committee member Mike Crapo from Idaho lashed out at the CFPB’s director in a hearing for what he said were CFPB actions that amounted to surveillance/spying. Senator Mike Enzi from Wyoming has stated that the CFPB’s actions are the equivalent to the NSA’s information gathering. It seems as if these hearings are based on complaints to and by the US Chamber of Commerce. Given the extent to which both parties have used and currently use the power and scope of the federal government to obtain information that many feel should be private and protected, I welcome any type of hearing that would shed light on what the CFPB is actually doing.
Appears the problem is in definition. How can any agency charged with making sure entities follow the rules do so without information. Are they to sit back and wait on the regulated entities to “fess” up?
Don’t forget to thank the following committee members for destroying your rights.
Democratic Subcommittee Members
Sherrod Brown (Chairman)
Jack Reed
Charles E. Schumer
Robert Menendez
Jon Tester
Jeff Merkley
Kay R. Hagan
Elizabeth Warren
Republican Subcommittee Members
Patrick J. Toomey (Ranking Member)
Richard C. Shelby
David Vitter
Mike Johanns
Jerry Moran
Dean Heller
Bob Corker
Don’t forget to thank the following committee members for destroying your rights.
Democratic Subcommittee Members
Sherrod Brown (Chairman)
Jack Reed
Charles E. Schumer
Robert Menendez
Jon Tester
Jeff Merkley
Kay R. Hagan
Elizabeth Warren
Republican Subcommittee Members
Patrick J. Toomey (Ranking Member)
Richard C. Shelby
David Vitter
Mike Johanns
Jerry Moran
Dean Heller
Bob Corker
There is noting secret here, and nothing sinister . This is just another Faux Scandal. Judicial Watch is nothing more than an Republican Party propaganda organization. It took no position on the Patriot Act. It raised no alarms, when Bush was caught illegally spying on Americans. It raised no objection to the expansion of FISA under Bush.
It spend all its resources supporting right wing causes and investigating all things Democrat.
One of their recent claims to fame was trying to prove that the White House was involved in organizing the University Of Arizona’s memorial for the people killed in the January 8, 2011 Tucson shooting. Presumably because a memorial for people killed in a mass shooting had anti-gun implications??? A position they took from Michele Malkin’s website and Republican Party operatives. Of course it turned out there was no such involvement, and even if there had been, who would care? Just propaganda, and false innuendo. Just like this.
They have no evidence of this agency collecting and transmitting to other agencies detailed information on individual credit card purchases. They don’t even pretend they do and they don’t need to. They simply need to imply wrong doing and let the propaganda machines do their thing. Just like Fits News is here.
There is noting secret here, and nothing sinister . This is just another Faux Scandal. Judicial Watch is nothing more than an Republican Party propaganda organization. It took no position on the Patriot Act. It raised no alarms, when Bush was caught illegally spying on Americans. It raised no objection to the expansion of FISA under Bush.
It spend all its resources supporting right wing causes and investigating all things Democrat.
One of their recent claims to fame was trying to prove that the White House was involved in organizing the University Of Arizona’s memorial for the people killed in the January 8, 2011 Tucson shooting. Presumably because a memorial for people killed in a mass shooting had anti-gun implications??? A position they took from Michele Malkin’s website and Republican Party operatives. Of course it turned out there was no such involvement, and even if there had been, who would care? Just propaganda, and false innuendo. Just like this.
They have no evidence of this agency collecting and transmitting to other agencies detailed information on individual credit card purchases. They don’t even pretend they do and they don’t need to. They simply need to imply wrong doing and let the propaganda machines do their thing. Just like Fits News is here.
Speaking of spying, why have all the conservatives dropped Snowden like a hot potato? Could it be because he is now seeking asylum in mother Russians. Even Putin has told him to knock off giving out the US secrets. What good does it do the Russians and Chinese to have American’s secrets if everyone does?
This is going to be great. A Traitor turns his back on his country allegedly over violations of constitutional rights, and seeks asylum in a country were he has no rights at all. Got to love the irony. Have fun living in Russia Mr. Snowden.
Sort of sounds like Putin saying “Shut up, we know all about the US spy programs already, but they don’t know we know. If you splab, then they will know we know and we will have to stop filling their big ears with whoppers”
You know, used to be, as taught in civics class, the USA was pure as driven snow and the USSR was the devil incarnate. Time change. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. We are the superpower, we seem to have been corrupted by that power. When a country like Ecuador or Russia does “do the right thing” and speak up for the exposure of truths that want to stay burried, well, its raising their stature as they expose the falsity of the US “good guy” image. Either that or 60 years on the planet and a bit to much reading turns one cyincal. Needless to say, I’m of the “put it all out there (information)” in the hopes we are wise enough to figure out what to do with it, what it means, and who is delivering bull.
Apparently your boy Snowden is finding out that Russia is not as “free” as he lead himself to believe.
Speaking of spying, why have all the conservatives dropped Snowden like a hot potato? Could it be because he is now seeking asylum in mother Russians. Even Putin has told him to knock off giving out the US secrets. What good does it do the Russians and Chinese to have American’s secrets if everyone does?
This is going to be great. A Traitor turns his back on his country allegedly over violations of constitutional rights, and seeks asylum in a country were he has no rights at all. Got to love the irony. Have fun living in Russia Mr. Snowden.
Sort of sounds like Putin saying “Shut up, we know all about the US spy programs already, but they don’t know we know. If you splab, then they will know we know and we will have to stop filling their big ears with whoppers”
You know, used to be, as taught in civics class, the USA was pure as driven snow and the USSR was the devil incarnate. Time change. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. We are the superpower, we seem to have been corrupted by that power. When a country like Ecuador or Russia does “do the right thing” and speak up for the exposure of truths that want to stay burried, well, its raising their stature as they expose the falsity of the US “good guy” image. Either that or 60 years on the planet and a bit to much reading turns one cyincal. Needless to say, I’m of the “put it all out there (information)” in the hopes we are wise enough to figure out what to do with it, what it means, and who is delivering bull.
Apparently your boy Snowden is finding out that Russia is not as “free” as he lead himself to believe.
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Do you see the irony??? (obviously not)
Follow FITSNews on Twitter and like us on Facebook
Do you see the irony??? (obviously not)
You have more to worry about when you hand that card over to the waitress,at the fine dining establishment of your choice..
You have more to worry about when you hand that card over to the waitress,at the fine dining establishment of your choice..
I was confronted by government agents today,and was told,Fits and his readers are the most boring people on earth,so they’re going to use/sell that information to,Milton Bradley,makers of the board game,Monopoly.What a nightmare.
I was confronted by government agents today,and was told,Fits and his readers are the most boring people on earth,so they’re going to use/sell that information to,Milton Bradley,makers of the board game,Monopoly.What a nightmare.