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THE SOVEREIGN SOCIETY OFFSHORE A-LETTER
Your Link to Freedom, Privacy & Prosperity in the Offshore World
Friday, August 22, 2003 - Vol. 5 No. 99
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In This Issue:
* COMMENT: Too Far, Too Fast.
* OFFSHORE: Swiss Gold Sale? Rock Investors. Cape Town Crooks.
A Pacific Union? Hong Kong Democracy. Bermuda Independence.
Offshore Bettors Favor Schwarzenegger.
* WEALTH: U.S. Class Warfare. World CoL. South Africa. Sweden.
Scotland's New Dirty Cash Law. Will US Estate Tax Be Repealed?
* PRIVACY & RIGHTS: Total Tyranny. EU Passports. Philippines
Dual Citizenship is Law. Don Johnson's Ruined Reputation.
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COMMENT: Too Far, Too Fast.
Dear A-Letter Reader:
"America must safeguard its freedoms in the fight against terrorism, but protect itself from pernicious policies that erode freedom in the name of liberty. So say Edward Crane, founder and president of the Cato Institute and William Niskanen its chairman.
Those are wise words, even as, in an unprecedented national campaign swing, US Atty. Gen. Ashcroft criss-crosses America in support of the heinous USA PATRIOT Act. Ashcroft is defending his police state powers
in the face of formal opposition from 150 local governments, plus Alaska, Hawaii and Vermont, that have passed resolutions condemning all or parts of the Act. The US House voted recently to cut off funding for a portion of the law that allows for "sneak and peak" warrants for secret police searches of homes and offices.
Ashcroft obstinately argues against curbing the vast police powers in the Act, claiming: "To abandon these tools would senselessly imperil American lives and American liberty."
Quite the contrary. The greatest danger to American liberty is the unbridled powers granted police in the Act, a grotesque piece of lawmaking rushed through Congress, sight unseen, in the emotional wake of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. And it is a fact that the Act would have done nothing to stop the 9-11 attacks, that US "intelligence" failures played a major part in allowing the slaughter.
It ought to tell AG Ashcroft something when Americans on the political spectrum from Right to Left unite in opposition to this unconstitutional monstrosity. As one ACLU official said: "...the PATRIOT Act went too far, too fast."
That's the way that it looks from here.
BOB BAUMAN, Editor
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COMMENT LINKS:
* Upholding Liberty in America. Ed Crane & William Niskanen.
LINK: http://www.cato.org/research/articles/niskanen-030624.html
* Ashcroft Defends Anti-Terrorism Law. LINK:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17298-2003Aug19.html
* "Victory Act" would give more powers to federal police. LINKS:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/WorldNewsTonight/victory_act030820.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22770-2003Aug20.html
* Patriot II resurrected in Victory Act. LINK:
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,60129,00.html
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* OFFSHORE *
SWISS GOVERNMENT RAISES GOLD SALES SPECTER
ZURICH: Politicians renew debate over selling excess gold, possibly
harming the strong Swiss franc and undermining confidence. LINK:
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=4149332
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GIBRALTAR GAINS E.U. ACCESS FOR INVESTORS
The Rock's professional investment services are available EU wide.
LINK (free reg req): http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=21833
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CAPE TOWN A CROOK'S HAVEN?
World crooks on the run go to Cape Town, South Africa as a refuge.
LINK: http://allafrica.com/stories/200308210412.html
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ISLAND NATIONS EYE "PACIFIC UNION"
Australian led, 16 island countries consider an EU-like confederation.
LINK: http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=comment&id=451
* Australia, UK sign updated double taxation agreement.
LINK: http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/030821/15/3djkw.html
* Standard & Poors upgrades COOK ISLANDS credit rating.
LINK: http://www.tax-news.com/asp/story/story.asp?storyname=13054
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DEMOCRACY FOR HONG KONG
Commentary from the Washington Post. LINK:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23370-2003Aug20.html
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BERMUDA NO TO INDEPENDENCE FROM U.K.?
So says a former royal governor, who may not be right.
LINK: http://www.tax-news.com/asp/story/story.asp?storyname=13067
* Bermuda is America wealthy's favorite offshore vacation destination.
LINK: http://www.bermudasun.bm/archives/2003-08-20/01News04/
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OFFSHORE BETTORS SEE CALIFORNIA A TWO HORSE RACE
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: The race for California governor boils down to just
2 candidates, according to offshore bettors; Arnold Schwarzenegger
and Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante make up 87% of all possible outcomes.
LINK: http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article.cfm?contentID=137171
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* WEALTH *
CLASS WARFARE IN AMERICA
Hating "the rich" is a staple of US politics. Why? LINK (scroll down):
http://www.prudentpolitics.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=141&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
* Do the Bush tax cuts favor the wealthy? LINK:
http://www.publicopiniononline.com/news/stories/20030818/opinion/84690.html
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U.B.S. WORLD COST OF LIVING SURVEY
UBS survey shows changing costs of living. LINK:
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1059479187362
* ZURICH one of world's most expensive cities, but also richest. LINK:
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=4151844
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SOUTH AFRICA includes financial advisors in offshore amnesty. LINK:
http://www.news24.com/News24/Finance/Economy/0,,2-8-25_1351414,00.html
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SWEDEN probably will oppose the euro in upcoming vote. LINKS:
http://www.economist.com/agenda/displayStory.cfm?story_id=2001501
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=ahmoIfeT2_OM&refer=europe
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SCOTTISH anti-money laundering law cracks down.
LINK: http://www.edinburghnews.com/business.cfm?id=920122003
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Will the US estate tax be repealed? Plan ahead now.
LINK: http://www.marcoeagle.com/03/08/marco/d965502a.htm
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* PRIVACY & RIGHTS *
TOTAL SURVEILLANCE = TOTAL TYRANNY
A powerful multi-billion dollar surveillance lobby grows in America.
LINK: http://bigjweb.com/artman/publish/article_806.shtml
* Tampa, Florida police scrap failed face recognition system. LINK:
http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=774614
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EUROPEAN UNION PLANS COMMON VISAS, PASSPORTS
New system could be in operation by late 2004.
LINK: http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?aid=11797
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PHILIPPINES dual citizenship about to become law.
LINK: http://www.inq7.net/globalnation/sec_new/2003/aug/20-01.htm
* Click here for more about dual citizenship, 2nd passports.
LINK: http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/190SGOPS/W190CB47/
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DON JOHNSON: FALSE CHARGES RUINED REPUTATION
GERMANY later apologized for mistaken accusations.
LINK: http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,12355,00.html?tnews
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THE SOVEREIGN SOCIETY OFFSHORE A-LETTER. *
Bob Bauman, Editor. * SUBSCRIBE FREE or send to a friend at
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