People get accustomed to news of US government surveillance. We're uncomfortable with spying on internal United Nations meetings, listening secretly to phone discussions by European Union officials, and communications surveillance of colleagues, businesses, and supposedly sovereign governments.
Jackal opportunists swarm to these surveillance & defense systems. Some see stable employment. Others recognize intelligence as a high-value commodity, with many potential purchasers. Some recruits surely are planted by forward-looking private interests and by foreign governments.
President Obama's protestations & personal charm don't diminish clear fact: much of this spying on the world has nothing to do with terrorism. It's Economic War.
This is more scary after Obama's government supported a core of bankers & industrialists with TARP subsidies, putting Americans & US society into favored and unfavored categories. Sadly, 99% of us are unfavored.
Those who remember US Sen. Joseph McCarthy recognize his catch-all use of "Communists!" parallels use of "TERRORIST" threat.
The chosen 1% laugh wryly at the serfs. But mostly we're beneath their attention.
They smirkingly enjoy our world.
We've been desensitized to accept government's illegal "shortcuts" -- or a few officials who "overstepped" proper procedures. But policy insiders can't be fired or imprisoned - they know too much.
The press corps and security police also know valuable secrets.
Former Democratic Party Vice-Presidential candidate US Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) was running again to become U.S. President at the same time he was covertly shtupping a film producer (while the candidate's wife suffered Stage IV cancer). The secret affair was well-kept for many months. Who kept this secret and why? The potential for blackmailing Edwards (who ultimately fathered a lovechild - link) is frightful.
Blackmail must be a problem.
What of other dirty tricks?
The files released by Manning, Snowden (and others to come) troublingly reveal active programs of government-directed destabilization, sabotage, and subversive mayhem ...
We know of "watching" - mass surveillance. We know of drone assassinations without accountability, trial or legal review. What other horrors lie between?
Stay tuned.
Jackal opportunists swarm to these surveillance & defense systems. Some see stable employment. Others recognize intelligence as a high-value commodity, with many potential purchasers. Some recruits surely are planted by forward-looking private interests and by foreign governments.
President Obama's protestations & personal charm don't diminish clear fact: much of this spying on the world has nothing to do with terrorism. It's Economic War.
This is more scary after Obama's government supported a core of bankers & industrialists with TARP subsidies, putting Americans & US society into favored and unfavored categories. Sadly, 99% of us are unfavored.
Those who remember US Sen. Joseph McCarthy recognize his catch-all use of "Communists!" parallels use of "TERRORIST" threat.
The chosen 1% laugh wryly at the serfs. But mostly we're beneath their attention.
They smirkingly enjoy our world.
We've been desensitized to accept government's illegal "shortcuts" -- or a few officials who "overstepped" proper procedures. But policy insiders can't be fired or imprisoned - they know too much.
The press corps and security police also know valuable secrets.
Former Democratic Party Vice-Presidential candidate US Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) was running again to become U.S. President at the same time he was covertly shtupping a film producer (while the candidate's wife suffered Stage IV cancer). The secret affair was well-kept for many months. Who kept this secret and why? The potential for blackmailing Edwards (who ultimately fathered a lovechild - link) is frightful.
Blackmail must be a problem.
What of other dirty tricks?
The files released by Manning, Snowden (and others to come) troublingly reveal active programs of government-directed destabilization, sabotage, and subversive mayhem ...
We know of "watching" - mass surveillance. We know of drone assassinations without accountability, trial or legal review. What other horrors lie between?
Stay tuned.
