The Future of Government Power Grabs? Our Digital Data

The more digital our lives become, the easier it is for government to access and accumulate our data.  Big Government advocates much prefer electronic files to millions of disparate hard copies in millions of personal filing cabinets.

Advertisement

Congress must write good laws establishing delimited parameters for what the government can and can’t have – consistent with the Fourth Amendment.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. 

Our data has long been in private hands.  We have voluntarily given it to all sorts of private entities – including our Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and cell phone companies.  And they have handled it with near flawless precision.

Our data must remain in private hands.  Unless the government convinces a judge otherwise on a specific, case by case basis – in which case they are issued a warrant to acquire specific, delineated data.

Because Congress in many areas hasn’t yet addressed the gaping hole of protecting our data from Big Government, we are left exposed and subject to hay-yuge, illegal power grabs.

Like President Barack Obama’s illegal Network Neutrality order.  Which gives the government access to the Internet’s spine – and with it every website there is and all the data contained therein.  And Big Government proponents promise us this is only the beginning:

Advertisement

“Although we wished the (Net Neutrality order) could have been stronger, we believe that the rules approved by the Commission are a good start….”

Like President Barack Obama’s illegal Cyber Security Executive Order.  The amount of data compiled in Cyber Security execution is massive – and Big Government wants at it.

Part of the reason lawmakers have not passed even voluntary cyber reforms is that businesses and many Republicans fear optional measures eventually could become mandatory.

The executive order did not allay those fears… (T)he Republican head of the House Homeland Security Committee expressed misgivings about the policy’s potential for mission creep.

Another “good start” towards ever growing Big Government grabs.

A privacy section in the documents outlines steps agencies must take to protect personal information while carrying out these activities. When private sector information is collected and shared with the government, concerns often arise that customer information will be exposed or abused.

Like the Obama Administration shutting down bailed out car company dealerships based upon campaign contribution data.  Like local governments in New York turning over for publication gun registration data.  Like then-President and First Lady Bill and Hillary Clinton’s illegally obtained 900 FBI files getting him out of an impeachment conviction.

Advertisement

President Obama’s unlawful Cyber Security Order is allegedly “voluntary.”  But:

Within three months, DHS, the General Services Administration and the Pentagon are expected to weigh the merits of denying federal contracts to vendors that do not sign up for the program….

Starting to sound pretty mandatory to me.  This President is in fact endlessly creative in coming up with data abuses and illegal fiats.

President Obama is considering an executive order that would force government contractors to disclose their donations to groups that participate in political activities….

Big Government strives inexorably to get bigger.  The huge new frontier in continuing the conversion of we citizens into subjects is all things digital – including the Web and our electronic data.

Congress must stand in opposition to this President’s illegal data grabs.  And write law that defines in limited, Constitutional fashion to what the government has access.

Recommended

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on RedState Videos