ARE YOU IN THE MASSIVE SECRET GOVERNMENT DATABASE?

In March of 2012, top intelligence officials met in the White House situation room to discuss the creation of a massive national database of citizens, ostensibly to be used in the war on terror.  A week later, the attorney general signed the changes into effect.  Today, the rules allow the little-known National Counterterrorism Center to examine the government files of U.S. citizens for possible criminal behavior, even if there is no reason to suspect them. 

NCTC can now copy entire government databases—flight records, casino-employee lists, IRS files, the names of Americans hosting foreign-exchange students and many others. The agency has new authority to keep data about innocent U.S. citizens for up to five years, and to analyze it for suspicious patterns of behavior. The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution stipulates that searches of "persons, houses, papers and effects" should not be conducted without "probable cause" that a crime has been committed. But that language doesn't cover records the government creates in the normal course of business with citizens. 

The government is now contemplating a national database of DNA records.  Every person in the country would be required to comply.  Theoretically, the database would allow instant identification of criminals suspected of crimes or of missing children.  This database could also identify the real parents of children in cases of contested parenthood.  It all sounds great, but if you fail to comply you could end up in jail and, if the government decided you were genetically inferior, you could be eliminated. 

In 2008, the government invested $125 billion in nine of the largest US banks: Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Bank of New York Mellon, State Street, and Merrill Lynch. Another $125 billion was invested in some smaller banks around the country. This was all part of the massive government rescue of the financial system.  As a result, the government was able to suck up banking records and credit card information of bank customers.  Identifiable credit card transactions were set for distribution to various government agencies:  

- Groceries and medications were routed to the FDA
- Alcohol and cigarette purchases were routed to the National Institutes of Health
- Battery, light bulb, and gasoline purchases were routed to the Department of Energy
- Children's books and video purchases were routed to the Department of Education
- Children's toys and appliances to the Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Cell phone, radio, and walkie-talkie purchases were routed to the FCC
- Hunting rifles and fishing rods were routed to the Department of the Interior
- And everything else is being routed to the Department of Justice for safekeeping

In January of 2013, news emerged that the D.A.V.I.D. system, the Driving and Vehicle Information Database, was being used by law enforcement for personal purposes, including the provision of such information to debt collectors and former spouses. 

The government is currently working on the creation of a biometric database that will use eye and facial recognition to identify citizens passing through areas covered by video surveillance systems.  And, of course, the government is actively pursuing the creation of a gun database which would contain the names, addresses, dates of birth and other information about gun owners including how many guns, what types of weapons, and when ammunition is purchased including quantities. 

The government acquisition of personal health records through ObamaCare is a given. 

The common thread of all of this gathering and storage of personal citizen data by the government is that it is “for a good purpose, or the benefit of society.”   Never mind that our Constitution guarantees the right to privacy; Obama has already proven many times that he’s not going to let a simple thing like that get into his way.  What is also obvious is that the information can be used against you and to control the way you think, act and vote. 

You really don’t want your husband to find out that Junior is not really his son?  Well, you’d better send some money to his campaign committee and vote for his fourth term in office.  What would your boss say if he found out that you have a drinking problem?  Maybe you should consider giving up that anti-Obama blog of yours.  According to our records, you have a family history of heart disease and early death; if you want to qualify for national health insurance, you’re going to have to get rid of that SUV and those guns of yours. 

These are scary thoughts and these are scary times.  How many of these data sources do you think your name is in?   

That’s MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.