“Presidential fear-mongering has a long and sordid history. We cannot understand the threat that Trump poses without recognizing how prior presidents used similar ploys.”
“In April the former Federal Reserve chief warned there was a risk Japan at any time could return to deflation. He noted that helicopter money — in which the government issues non-marketable perpetual bonds with no maturity date and the Bank of Japan directly buys them — could work as the strongest tool to overcome deflation, according to Honda. Bernanke noted it was an option, he said. Bernanke joined central bank chief Haruhiko Kuroda over lunch this Monday and on Tuesday he attended a gathering with Abe and key officials, including Koichi Hamada, another influential economic adviser. The central bank didn’t reveal what Kuroda and Bernanke discussed.”
“He argued that high-denomination notes in high-value currencies were little used other than for crime, with people in most parts of the world favoring cash for small payments and electronic alternatives like credit cards or Paypal for bigger ones. As such, Sands called for the elimination of the 500 euro note, £50 bill and 1,000 Swiss franc bill and the $100 note. Depending on the country, tax evasion robs the public sector of anywhere between 6 percent and 70 percent of what authorities reckon they should collect, Sands added. He said that global financial crime flows amounted to $2 trillion per year, with corruption accounting for another $1 trillion.”
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/08/ban-100-bills-to-tackle-crime-ex-bank-chief.html
“The European Commission – the executive arm of the European Union – has proposed a directive aimed preventing the use the financial system for terrorist financing which includes a central database for bitcoin and virtual currency users’ identities and wallet addresses accessible to government financial intelligence units (FIUs). The proposal seeks to require member states to bring into force the regulations necessary to comply with this directive by Jan. 1, 2017. The updated anti-money laundering rules adopted May of 2015 marked an important step to improve the effectiveness of EU attempts to combat money laundering from criminal activities and to fight financing terrorist activities, the proposal noted.”
https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/eu-central-database-bitcoin-users/
“The State of Emergency declared after the November 13 atrocity was extended at the weekend by a further three months. Some 120,000 police and troops are now reportedly deployed across France, up from the already record high level of 115,000 security personnel on alert during the Euro 16 football championship. A further 12,000 police reservists are being called called up. It is now routine to see armed soldiers patrolling among shoppers and cafe goers along French city streets. Citizens have to submit to random checks on their bags, body pat downs and metal detector arches as they enter public buildings. There are even demands from Marine Le Pen, the National Front leader, for the return of compulsory national service. Over the past year, thousands of French citizens have been arrested or had their homes raided by police without warrants. Some 20,000 people are said to be under surveillance by French authorities. The State of Emergency has also seen the government banning public demonstrations against unpopular legislation to curtail workers’ rights. That unprecedented infringement on civil liberties has been justified as a necessary ‘national security’ measure to combat terror threats. France has thus entered a permanent emergency state, marked by high levels of police powers and militarization of society, and the suspension of democratic rights and freedoms. This is merely a few degrees away from outright dictatorship. The international aspect of the French government’s response is equally problematic. It has announced a stepwise increase in air strikes avowedly against terror groups in Syria and Iraq. French officials are reportedly traveling to Washington this week to coordinate greater military deployment in those two countries. The French state, like its NATO partners, is plowing into a snake pit. The covert destabilizing of Syria (and Libya) for regime change involving the weaponization of terror proxies is a recipe for endless blowback. The subsequent ‘anti-terror’ bombing of Arab countries in flagrant violation of international law is a further foot into the snake pit.”
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/352041-france-militarized-dystopia-state/
“Russia is not the only nation whose lawmakers and politicians are heading in this direction, especially when it comes to requiring backdoors for encrypted communications. Time and time again, technologists and civil liberties groups have warned the United States, France, Holland, and a host of other nations that the anti-encryption laws they propose cannot be obeyed without rewriting the laws of mathematics. Politicians have often responded by effectively telling the Internet’s experts ‘don’t worry, you’ll work out a way.’ Let us be clear: government backdoors in encrypted communications make us all less safe, no matter which country is holding the keys.”
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/07/russia-asks-impossible-its-new-surveillance-laws
“The ‘Anti-terrorism Information Sharing is Strength Act,’ HR 5606, would have amended the USA Patriot Act to allow financial institutions to share information with law enforcement agencies and one another regarding suspected ‘activities that may involve terrorist acts, money laundering activities, or a specified unlawful activity.’ Previously, such sharing was allowed regarding only ‘terrorist acts or money laundering activities.’ Libertarian Congressman Justin Amash (R-Mich.) led the opposition, saying the legislation expanded the Patriot Act to let the government ‘demand info on any American [without] due process.'”
“The US House of Representatives voted Thursday to block an amendment that would have prevented the government from stepping in to force weakened encryption and security backdoors. Although Politico reports the provision received increasing support in the House over the past two years, that support has weakened in the wake of the Sunday’s mass shooting in Orlando. After Sunday’s tragedy, the measure’s opponents pointed to suspected Islamic State sympathizer Omar Mateen’s attack on a gay nightclub to justify giving law enforcement increased spying powers and easier access to private data.”
https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/16/house-votes-down-privacy-measure-blocking-backdoors/
“A Senate amendment that would have allowed the FBI to search a suspect’s phone and online records without a court order came very close to becoming a reality today. The legislation, introduced by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Richard Burr (R-NC) in the wake of the recent mass shooting in Orlando, missed the necessary 60 votes it needed to pass by just two votes. The amendment in question would have allowed the FBI to use ‘National Security Letters’ to demand that your internet or cellphone provider turn over certain account information including login history, call records and IP address.”
https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/22/warrantless-data-searches-narrowly-miss-senate-approval/
“Steps towards creating a European army are being kept secret from British voters until the day after next month’s referendum. The plans, drawn up by the EU’s foreign policy chief, foresee the development of new European military and operational structures, including a headquarters. They are supported by Germany and other countries as the first step towards an EU army. Similar proposals were vetoed by Britain in 2011, although there are concerns that a loophole could allow nine states to group together and bypass opponents.”
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/eu-army-plans-kept-secret-from-voters-3j3kg3zwj