From: "Phil Payne" 

"Gary Britt"  wrote in message
news:44e33483$1{at}w3.nls.net...
> I doubt its a "Bush" policy, but he along with every other
president who
> failed to change this policy shares the blame for this and a 1000 more
> stupid border policies and procedures.

It amuses me that you selectively condemn established practices that you
disapprove of and yet praise blindly those you do.

The people that came up with these rules were quite possibly
contemporaneous with and the intellectual equals of the authors of the
Constitution.  They had their reason - search for them.

It's actually reasonably obvious, and it has been a bone of contention in
the UK ever since the administration of VAT was given to HM Customs and
Excise rather than the tax-gathers.  Because of the nature of their job,
Customs and Excise has draconian search powers - limited to border
activities because those powers were felt excessive if used within the
general population.  Inland Revenue - the taxgathers - had no such
draconian powers.  For instance, no right of entry without a warrant.

But a Customs and Excise VAT Inspector has the right to demand entry at any
time and needs no search warrant.  That's what happens when border control
powers are extended into the population.

The last thing you want - believe me - is the Border Patrol wandering
around the streets.

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