General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThey Really, Really Care!
Its a new dawn. Our government has struck the perfect balance between freedom and security. This may have been twelve or more years in the making, but now we know the government cares enough to let us make our own mistakes, while still watching every move we make. You know its the right thing to do; because what could be more American than all three branches of government united against privacy? Well, in the New America, anyway. They worry about us. So, like a concerned parent, they check all our web searches, track our movements, store our emails, monitor our phone records, keep track of what we read, buy, who we know, where we go and what we watch. Forever. But yet they dont go sticking their noses in where they dont belong Like Credit Default Swaps. Now thats caring.
Sometimes people are just dont know whats good for them. Thats why state and local governments are joining the federal government in tracking where we go and when we go there. License plate readers are on the tops of many police cars, taking pictures of all the cars they encounter, where and when they were there - and they are coming to your neighborhood soon. Its all stored in central data bases to be accessed by dozens of government agencies, for any purpose. Congress and the Bush Administration got one thing right. They knew George Orwells 1984 wasnt a warning, it was a blueprint. With the added, and not inconsequential benefit of being a great big money-maker for the right companies. We can be thankful that some on the left have finally caught on!
Total Information Awareness was very unpopular when it was introduced ten years ago. But, people much more powerful and richer than the average person knew it was the right thing to do. There is a time to treat the average person like an adult and let them learn from their own mistakes. Such as when they are signing mortgage papers. But they cant be trusted to spy on themselves - even though they may do a decent job on FaceBook. So, Total Information Awareness is here under different names. And its important to denigrate those who would challenge these programs, or even make us aware of them. (Its possible they make not like whats being done, even when its for their own good.)
As most will know, when the power of the state is challenged by trouble-makers they call themselves whistle-blowers, people of conscience and journalists those trouble-makers need to be silenced. A tried and true method is the ad hominem. Take the journalist causing problems right now for the administration. Even though many of the things being said about Glenn Greenwald arent true, the important thing is that someone said them. Just as the main stream media knows, when one person says, these are the facts and another person says, no, these are it is vital not to fact check the information, the key is to allow people to repeat what theyve heard. Its the patriotic way to run a news outfit. And our news outfits have been patriotic for years. (Bush didnt bring us the Iraq War by himself, you know.)
A very important aspect to all the cameras, facial recognition software, storing of all our data, predictive software for future crimes, and total observation which gets better every year is not just so people will censor themselves and watch what they say and do (and to know if someone is protesting the corporations or the government). Or even for possible control in the years to come. Its freedom. People still need to be free. And our government knows no one is actually free unless money can be made. Thats where real freedom comes in. All three branches of government are united on this front, too.
Nothing essential to freedom will change. If you are paying big bucks to a congressman or senator, you know your phone call will be returned every time. And you know that in America, a legislator or regulator will earn their money. They know they dont work for some tree-hugging, wacko that whines every time someones water is set on fire. No, they work for you! If you offer a seven figure job to someone once theyre out of public service, then its understood that money comes after a job well done while theyre in public service. See, its all good.
Now we need to come together as good citizens and attack those who embarrassed our leaders.
(Even though we already knew about it But it was bad to bring it up And the people who told us about it are traitors And we need to have this conversation But those who told us about this are more important than the programs And it kept us safe And its legal anyway But hurt national security Did I say this is nothing new?)
Squirrel!
sibelian
(7,804 posts)... recommend...
suede1
(892 posts)Love it!
Arctic Dave
(13,812 posts)20score
(4,769 posts)punkin87
(350 posts)How come these license plate readers aren't bigger news?
SammyWinstonJack
(44,131 posts)forestpath
(3,102 posts)nashville_brook
(20,958 posts)DirkGently
(12,151 posts)charge us billions for storing our "metadata." I wasn't using mine anyway, and had no idea where to put it all!
suede1
(892 posts)I'm just waiting for my master password from them, so I can access my data!
punkin87
(350 posts)Have to get a job with a security corporation. Then you can have it.
nineteen50
(1,187 posts)liberty and freedom.
zeemike
(18,998 posts)We now obey Big Brother....but it is not enough to obey him, we must love Big Brother....and a cage full of rats on your face will make that happen.
K&R
marym625
(17,997 posts)I have always felt loved by our government. Being a woman I know I am part of the population that the government cares most about. Some states love us more than others but on a whole, we know we're cared about deeply.
Iowa cares about us the most imho. The governor himself is so interested in our uterus he wants to keep decisions about what we can do in his hands alone. What a guy!
Well done 20Score! Love it!
20score
(4,769 posts)JoePhilly
(27,787 posts)Wouldn't they just data mine our medical records and then use the information against us?
And given this, should the members of DU stop supporting single payer Health care?
galileoreloaded
(2,571 posts)JoePhilly
(27,787 posts)As part of any single payer health care system, the government will be paying doctors and doing analysis on specific medical outcomes.
The doctors will be required to indicate their diagnosis and treatment plan to obtain reimbursements.
And the government will crawl through the data looking for patterns.
If the government is using our phone and email data against us in a fascist manner (an many are claiming), there is no reason to assume that they will not do the same with our medical records. In fact, one must assume that their evil intent expands beyond basic communications and into all records about us, including medical.
galileoreloaded
(2,571 posts)Ill pass, but may your chains rest lightly.
JoePhilly
(27,787 posts)If we now have a Fascist government (as some now claim), certainly that government should not be trusted with any aspect of our medical records.
20score
(4,769 posts)20score
(4,769 posts)If there is money to be made, then our records really aren't safe unless there are some protections. There would be no money to be made if everyone is covered, hence, our medical records would be safer. (At least if employers weren't able to access them.)
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)marions ghost
(19,841 posts)The most insulting thing to the American people IMO is how the PTB have treated us all like children in this. We don't need to know what's going on. It's all for our own good...