Big Brother Is Watching, Listening and Texting

One of my favorite questions comes during the block of instruction in the American Government course on policy. At some point we get to the major issue of the current period, the war on terror. Just as the Cold War took precedence over all else during the period from the '50s through the '80s, so today the issues of security against a powerful and damaging threat should be overwhelming all other concerns. If we experience a terrorist attack with WMD, the question of whether unemployment is 9.4 or 9.6 percent will be irrelevant. I know that last week the Bamster reassured us that we can absorb a major terrorist attack, but that really doesn't make me feel all that much better.

When the topic comes up, it is inevitable that someone will raise the USA PATRIOT Act and recite the meme that it has infringed upon our freedoms and it was imposed upon us by that evil George W. Bush. My first response is always to remind the students that by this point in the class we should have it firmly entrenched in our mushy little minds that Presidents don't legislate. Legislatures do. It wasn't Bush, it was Congress that passed the law.

But, then comes the question: What specific impact on your freedom can you find since the PATRIOT Act became law? Where have your freedoms been impacted? Which of your friends has experienced a loss?

They will talk about wiretaps and cell-phone conversations and email intercepts. I ask if they are aware that the government requires court approval to get such access. They aren't. I ask if they previously were unaware that cell-phones and emails and text messages were interceptable. They weren't. I ask if their monthly cell bill lists every call by number, date, time, duration and location without government involvement. They didn't think of that.

So, where has their freedom been impacted? What did George Bush do them?

But, all is not rosy. Consider for a moment this item:

Government Wants Access to Encrypted Comm

When India was arguing with RIM about Blackberry encryption, I chuckled softly and thanked my good fortune that I was born in America. Apparently the Bamster wants us more like them.

The long-term implications are what is frightening. Government will have the key to delve into every aspect of our lives. Buy something online with an encrypted credit card transaction? Big Brother's got it. Have your doctor transmit your medical records to a hospital? Big Brother knows what ails you. Deposit some business proceeds in a bank? BB will have a duplicate deposit slip. That's Obama, not Bush.

And, did you notice in that NYT article where the first executive orders for cell phone access by the Feds originated? It was 1994 and the President was William Jefferson Clinton.

So Clinton pried into phones in '94 and the Messiah wants our encrypted online info in 2010. Why then does George W. Bush still take the rap for undermining our freedoms?