VISA / MC pause tracking of gun sales

[free]

That's true, but that information puts you in a group. They could probably look through DMV records and isolate a group of people who own pickup trucks and it would 90% overlap with the outdoor sports buying group.
The big danger of this is it's baby steps.
What could they find out from this info, probably not much on a personal level, but as a group they would know how much is spent, what times of year, after or before events like elections, etc.
This is good information to have, if they were to screw with the economy, what works to influence spending.
So even if you doubt they could ever use this info to personally effect how you spend your money, you have to believe.they could use this info to manipulate the spending of a particular group within the population.

Of all the shit there is to worry about, including the stuff govt and it's friends are ACTUALLY DOING, right now, care to guess where issues like you raise should rank on that list?

I mean...honestly man. Worry about the real shit.

[chunk_norris]

Of all the shit there is to worry about, including the stuff govt and it's friends are ACTUALLY DOING, right now, care to guess where issues like you raise should rank on that list?

I mean...honestly man. Worry about the real shit.

"First they came for my privacy, and I did not object, because I had nothing to hide. Then they came for the gun markets, and I did not object because I had all the guns I needed. Then they came for those objectors, and I did not object, because I was not an objector."

Do you see the road that you're on?

[ray h]

Do you see the road that you're on?

Apparently not.
I've been guilty of it. Bump stocks, what's the big deal,
It'll take some people longer than others.

[free]

"First they came for my privacy, and I did not object, because I had nothing to hide. Then they came for the gun markets, and I did not object because I had all the guns I needed. Then they came for those objectors, and I did not object, because I was not an objector."

Do you see the road that you're on?

Object all you want. What are you actually going to DO about it?

What, write to your elected officials? Please. If they gave a shit, they wouldn't be doing it in the first place.

So, what's next? I guess you could just cash everywhere you go. Are you doing that? If so, good for you. If not, why not?

What else can you do? Well, I can think of some things, but mentioning them may run afoul of this site's TOS and the law, so you're going to have to just use your imagination there.

At any rate, while the govt is doing some evil shit that is out of my control, I'll worry about some more pressing issues I have going on right now.

[chunk_norris]

Well, if enough people recognize when their privacy is being violated, and object to it, they can quite easily wield the power of their consumerism and stop giving money to companies that engage in such activities. The only way any of this is possible, is if people keep voting for it with their wallet. Or, I suppose everyone could just take your approach and sit back with content while their neighbors are inevitably marched into a shower, so long as you're not affected...yet. Right?

At least the rest of us all know who would gladly hand his neighbors over to the brown shirts, as long as he can maintain his own level of comfort. There's great value in knowing who your neighbors are, so keep up the good work. You're doing a great service to the community by identifying yourself as such.

[free]

Well, if enough people recognize when their privacy is being violated, and object to it, they

....not everyone cares about the same stuff. Personally, I don't give a shit if every single person on the planet gets a list of everything I buy every day. It just doesn't matter to me. I don't view it as particularly "sensitive" information.

Here is today's list:

@ chick fil a: chicken sandwich, medium mac and cheese and large Dr Pepper

@ Home Depot: 50' hose, spray nozzle, faucet adapter

...can quite easily wield the power of their consumerism and stop giving money to companies that engage in such activities.

Most people have neither the time nor the energy to boycott every company that does something they don't like.

Besides that...most people realize that their small amount of spending simply doesn't matter to large corporations. It isn't even a blip on their spreadsheets.

Besides that....unless you have suitable alternatives to where you shop, your efforts are not going to matter anyway. Corps all just do the same thing and give you the finger, and then what? There are only so many places to buy groceries. If they all decide to have policy X, and you tell them you will shop elsewhere, and they say go ahead, and you find every alternative has the same policy, then what?

The only way any of this is possible, is if people keep voting for it with their wallet. Or, I suppose everyone could just take your approach and sit back with content while their neighbors are inevitably marched into a shower, so long as you're not affected...yet. Right?

I'll probably be the first one in the shower.

At least the rest of us all know who would gladly hand his neighbors over to the brown shirts, as long as he can maintain his own level of comfort. There's great value in knowing who your neighbors are, so keep up the good work. You're doing a great service to the community by identifying yourself as such.

You're welcome.

[chunk_norris]

....not everyone cares about the same stuff. Personally, I don't give a shit if every single person on the planet gets a list of everything I buy every day. It just doesn't matter to me. I don't view it as particularly "sensitive" information.

Yet...you cared enough to come here and criticize everyone else on the thread for having concerns about it.

You're right, your $7 purchase doesn't matter at all to them. However, if everyone who pretends to care about freedom and constitutionally protected liberties that are under relentless assault by the government and their corporate communist partners, all threw the weight of every single one of their $7 purchases into the ring, suddenly it matters a whole lot. The only reason that "bOycOtts dOn'T wOrK", is because too many people such as yourself are too functionally retarded to actually wield that power. The only reason the NFL is still around after wiping it's a** with the American flag and spitting in your face, is because you probably still parked your a** on the couch the very next Sunday with a can of budweiser and a bag of doritos. If every single person who is pro 2A called up and cancelled their Visa card tomorrow, Visa would reverse course immediately, or they would cease to exist.

Those who hate you and your country the most rely heavily on your ignorance, which prevents you from understanding the power available to you or ever having any hope of wielding it. You're all too happy with this arrangement as long as you can still have your can of beer, potato chips, and sportsball.

[free]

Yet...you cared enough to come here and criticize everyone else on the thread for having concerns about it.

yah...sure...ya got me!

You're right, your $7 purchase doesn't matter at all to them. However, if everyone who pretends to care about freedom and constitutionally protected liberties that are under relentless assault by the government and their corporate communist partners, all threw the weight of every single one of their $7 purchases into the ring, suddenly it matters a whole lot.

I simply disagree. I don't think it matters even if it is billions of dollars.

If every single person who is pro 2A called up and cancelled their Visa card tomorrow, Visa would reverse course immediately, or they would cease to exist.

First, I disagree. Second, people are not doing that, so it doesn't even matter.

Those who hate you and your country the most rely heavily on your ignorance, which prevents you from understanding the power available to you or ever having any hope of wielding it. You're all too happy with this arrangement as long as you can still have your can of beer, potato chips, and sportsball.

Nah. I don't drink beer and professional sports could disappear entirely for all I care. As for potato chips...they're up to $5/bag, which is ridiculous. I rarely buy them anymore.

[Gman106]

I recall reading recently that Discover Card was going to make it Three's Company, but backed down (for now) under pressure.

[John_Wick]

Object all you want. What are you actually going to DO about it?

What, write to your elected officials? Please. If they gave a shit, they wouldn't be doing it in the first place.

So, what's next? I guess you could just cash everywhere you go. Are you doing that? If so, good for you. If not, why not?

What else can you do? Well, I can think of some things, but mentioning them may run afoul of this site's TOS and the law, so you're going to have to just use your imagination there.

At any rate, while the govt is doing some evil shit that is out of my control, I'll worry about some more pressing issues I have going on right now.

This is a discussion forum and we're here to discuss. If the discussion doesn't interest you, why partake in it? Just to tell us all it's pointless to discuss?

....not everyone cares about the same stuff. Personally, I don't give a shit if every single person on the planet gets a list of everything I buy every day. It just doesn't matter to me. I don't view it as particularly "sensitive" information.

Here is today's list:

@ chick fil a: chicken sandwich, medium mac and cheese and large Dr Pepper

@ Home Depot: 50' hose, spray nozzle, faucet adapter

I used to feel the same way, but after spending some years as a paralegal my perspective changed. When it comes to loosely regulated items like alcohol or essentially unregulated items like fast food, your purchases are largely insignificant until they aren't. For example, if you have an accident on Corp X property and decide to sue, you can be certain that someone will be checking your financials and frequent shopper card to see how much alcohol you buy. A case of beer every week? This guy is a drunk that fell because he was intoxicated. And insurance companies are always looking for reasons to deny claims as that is their business. If you have a heart attack after just picking up new health insurance, your trips to Chic-Fil-A may be enough to get a claim denied or coverage significantly reduced.

Paying in cash carries its own set of problems. Bought that used car w/ $15k cash? The Form 8300 that gets filled out may end up glanced out and then thrown in a drawer when the IRS receives it. Or they may decide to tear apart the last decade of your financials and they will almost certainly find something. Didn't pay tax on that ammo you ordered online last year? Not only do you owe tax and penalties on it, but that 1 purchase is now the impetus for them to start digging into every purchase you made for the last X years. No one cares that your failure to pay tax was unintentional and those 1 or 2 errors could result in your life being torn apart.

Now when it comes to tracking gun/ammo sales the potential for problems is far greater and it doesn't take much imagination to see how it could go sideways considering the current attitude towards guns in America. If the ATF shows up at your door to verify physical possession of 3 handguns because they received a Form 3310.4 with your name on it, they may take a quick look and be on their way. They may also shoot your dog because he charged the armed strangers that showed up in his yard unannounced. Or they may spot you in the backyard with that braced AR pistol that you opted not to register. Maybe absolutely nothing comes of gun/ammo purchases being tracked, but doing so opens the door for more potential negative outcomes. Again, none of these things are keeping me up at night and we can't just stop living so we have to pick our battles, but it's naive to think they're all non-issues.