To add to your point, a couple weeks ago I saw a dozen hysterical media reports concerning another provision slipped into the bill, this time regarding the sale

To add to your point, a couple weeks ago I saw a dozen hysterical media reports concerning another provision slipped into the bill, this time regarding the sale of gold. Supposedly, the government wants all gold sellers to report any transactions exceeding $600. I've researched a bit and it turned out to be the same legislation - only sales between businesses are required to be reported, and there is nothing specific about gold, it's just part of the same 1099 provision. Don't get me wrong, I've been outraged by the practice of concealing unrelated bits of legislation inside various bills for years, but to say that this is worse than war is truly an exaggeration. Major annoyance, yes, but still quite a bit better than being shot.