Gun Buyers Find Privacy Perk -- Bill Would Cut Holding Of Records to 24 Hours

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Tuesday, December 16, 2003 | GARY FIELDS and RYAN J. FOLEY

[TroutStalker]

WASHINGTON -- When it comes to privacy rights, gun buyers are a protected class.

The government keeps tax returns for seven years. Federal regulations require doctors to retain patients' medical records for at least six years. And this month, President Bush signed a law allowing banks, insurance and credit-card companies to trade and sell personal information, including Social Security numbers, salaries, and debt and spending records.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The Bush Administration is operating on the assumption that, in the case of the RKBA, it means what it says.

[Database]

The government keeps tax returns for seven years. Federal regulations require doctors to retain patients' medical records for at least six years. And this month, President Bush signed a law allowing banks, insurance and credit-card companies to trade and sell personal information, including Social Security numbers, salaries, and debt and spending records.

Then there are gun-purchase records.

Isn't this apples and oranges? How long does a firearms dealer have to keep sales records? How long does a manufacturer have to retain records on manufacture and distribution?

There are lies ... damn lies ... and then there is "journalism."

[umgud]

Thank God I live in CA........They keep gun check and sales records forever.

[marktwain]

"The average person involved in commerce probably gives his name, Social Security number and date of birth three to four times a week to people who keep it forever. Telephone hookups, electrical company applications, even car rentals, all that gets kept for years. But you buy a gun and they can't keep it more than 24 hours?"

Well, if you buy a gun with a credit card, that transaction gets kept for years and years as well. Pay for stuff in cash, and don't give your socialist insecurity number if you don't have to.

Just because the police state has become very intrusive isn't justification to make it more so. We should be moving in the direction of more privacy, not less.

Let us adopt the Swiss law about banking privacy for a good start!