Congress Drags Feet Again on Identity Theft Protection For Citizens
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States. Congress has passed a law to help consumers, but keeps dragging its feet on implementing the identity theft protection for citizens.
Congress has obscenely low approval ratings these days. The general refrain among voters seems to be “throw the bums out”. It is a notion I must admit that I agree with. The institution simply has become all about gaining power. What is important or best for the country seems to be a trifling thought that is paid lip service in speeches, but never actually given much thought.
Whatever your feelings on Congress, the identity theft law is going to make you grind your teeth. Congress passed a law in 2003 that required businesses to establish programs related to protecting consumers from identity theft when certain obvious signs of identity theft occurred. A classic example was where someone tried to open a credit card account with the social security account of a dead person. This was known as the “red flags law”.
A full seven years later, the law still has not been enacted. Congress continues to block the FTC from enforcing the law that Congress passed! The first exemption was for doctors and lawyers. Lawyers I can understand, but doctors? It just so happens that the theft of medical records is one of the quickest growing sectors of identity theft. Congress is now neutering the law in relation to one are where it would have made a huge difference.
Regardless, the law has now been delayed because swine…err, Congressman like John Adler of New Jersey keep asking for delays. Adler and his fellow swine are supposed to be working for the citizens of the United States, but obviously are beholden to the parties contributing to their campaigns who do not want the bill enforced. For shame. Let us hope Adler and his ilk are some of the bums voted out of the cesspool that has become Congress.