Bill banning forced identity-chip implants clears House

By Lauren Boyer

Inquirer Staff Writer

HARRISBURG - Invasion of privacy is an issue that really gets under State Rep. Babette Josephs' skin.
That's why the Philadelphia Democrat introduced a bill, passed unanimously last week by the House, that would ban the forced implantation of computer chips in humans.

Conjuring Orwellian images, Josephs worries the identification devices - the size of a grain of rice - could lead to a real-life Big Brother nightmare.

"I'm doing, I think, what the legislature does too little of," she said. "This is a problem on the horizon, and I want to address it before it becomes a societal disgrace."

Though the technology hasn't debuted in Pennsylvania, VeriChip, a company in Florida, received federal Food and Drug Administration clearance in 2004 to market the implanted microchips, which were tested on 200 Alzheimer's patients.

Injected into the triceps, the chips have unique 16-digit codes and GPS capabilities that allow nursing homes to find wandering patients.

"I think it's really horrible that we want to chip them like barcoded packages of meat," said Kim Sultzbaugh, a research specialist who helped Josephs write the bill.

California, North Dakota, and Wisconsin have enacted laws similar to the ban Josephs is proposing.

The technology can also be used for security, as in a widely reported case in Mexico. There, the implants were required for some government employees to enter restricted buildings.

A bar in Scotland even offers to implant patrons with chips that allow them to purchase pints without a credit card, according to news accounts.

Despite the technology's potential usefulness, Sultzbaugh said, some Christian groups liken the identification devices to the "mark of the beast," a Satanic mark described in the Book of Revelation and represented by the number 666.

Josephs said electronic ankle bracelets could keep track of someone in a less-invasive manner.

But for some "murderers, killers, and rapists," ankle bracelets won't do the trick, said State Rep. Dan Moul (R., Adams).

Moul amended Josephs' bill to allow chips to be implanted by court order. The bill also would allow the chips to be implanted in Guantanamo Bay detainees who end up in Pennsylvania.

"Terrorists could take that ankle bracelet off with a saw and strap it to a dog and let them run around," Moul said. "We need to know if these people are returning to the war to fight against America."

Josephs called Moul's changes "inflammatory" and "sensational" and hopes the Senate throws them out when it considers the measure.

Erik Arneson, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R., Delaware), said the bill was not scheduled for immediate action.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20090702_Bill_banning_forced_identity-chip_implants_clears_House.html

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Strikes Down a Campaign Finance Law

On April 30, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down a state campaign finance law. The case is DePaul v Commonwealth, 969 A 2d 536. The law made it illegal for anyone associated with the casino industry to contribute any money whatsoever to any candidate running for state office.

The significance of this decision is that the Court reiterates that the Pennsylvania Constitution provides greater protection for freedom of expression than the U.S. Constitution does. Page 546 of the decision summarizes past decisions that establish the greater protection from the Pennsylvania Constitution than from the U.S. Constitution. The Pennsylvania Constitution also provides that elections shall be “free and equal”. One hopes that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court bears these ideas in mind, as it considers the ballot access cases now pending in that Court.

http://www.ballot-access.org/

Pittsburgh Independence Day Tea Party

Sat 9:00 AM Location
Flagstaff Hill, Schenley Park
Schenley Dr. & Frew St
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Who's organizing?
Gary
Please join us for the Independence Day Tea Party to celebrate our nation’s birthday and our freedoms. Our party is on July 4th at Flagstaff Hill in Schenley Park, across from Phipps Conservatory, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. We have an outstanding lineup of speakers:

Glen Meakem - Emcee - Founder of FreeMarkets, entrepreneur and talk show host
Grover Norquist - President for Americans for Tax Reform
Dr. Hans Lessman - President of SEPP, Society for the Education of Physicians and Patients
Jake Haulk - President of Allegheny Institute for Public Policy
Mark Hendrickson - Grove City Professor and expert on Cap and Trade

Start making your signs to Audit/End the Fed or to protest the carbon emissions Cap and Trade legislation (among other issues!) that was just passed in The House of Representatives and will be coming up for a vote by the Senate, probably around the 6th or 7th. Please make a concerted effort to bring 20 friends or family members with you! We look forward to seeing you!

THANKS!!
http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-97/calendar/10748004/