From: Adam 

Phil Payne wrote:
> "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.
>
>

Which is why they have merged HMC&E & HMIR to form HMR&C (HM
Revenue and Customs)

Adam

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