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This week we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Dr. King delivered the speech during the “March for Jobs and Freedom” on August 28, 1963 in Washington D. C. in front of the Lincoln Memorial. It was one of several speeches, but it is the one we all remember. There were upwards of 250,000 persons in attendance that day. The rally was a great success in that it brought attention to the plight of African Americans, and helped influence the Federal government to pass the Voting Rights Act and other laws designed to foster racial equality. MLK was unquestionably one of the most outstanding leaders of the 20th Century. It is a shame that his life was cut short by an assassin’s bullet in 1968.

The 50th anniversary celebration gave us all an opportunity to reflect on the progress made since 1963. Incidentally, it would have been more appropriate for the sponsors to include conservative black leaders, such as Ben Carson, Allan Webb and/or Herman Cain as speakers. That would have made the event fair and balanced, as it should have been.

So, are African Americans better off today than they were 50 years ago? The African American unemployment rate is roughly double that of whites; the high school and college graduation rates are lower; they are much more likely to be the victim of a crime; and, most significantly, 72% of African American babies are born out of wedlock. With respect to leadership, African Americans have many leaders, but, unfortunately, none of them can hold a candle to Dr. King. An objective observer, however, would have to admit that African Americans have come a long way since 1963. Although much more needs to be done, by many measurements they are considerably better off than they were 50 years ago. For example:

1. We all acknowledge the importance of education to success in America. Their high school graduation rate, though less than for Whites, is 85% compared to 26% in 1963. The college graduation rate is 21% versus 4% in 1963.

2. We have comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, which are designed to prevent discrimination against many classes of individuals, including African Americans, in situations, such as jobs and education, among others. Although there are still some instances of overt discrimination, they are few and far between, and are usually redressed in the courts. In fact, the biggest controversy in this area is that in an age of political correctness, some people maintain that “reverse discrimination” exists in some cases.

3. The country has elected an African American President and a bevy of Congressmen, governors and mayors. This was inconceivable in 1963.

4. There are numerous examples of successful African Americans in business, entertainment and sports who, intentionally or not, act as role models.

PREDICTION AND CONCLUSION

Success in America requires hard work, self-reliance, accepting responsibility for your own actions and the will to overcome any and all obstacles in order to achieve. This formula holds true for both Whites and minorities. Yes, the path to success is easier if one is born into a family with caring, nurturing parents and wealth, but there have been countless cases of individuals who have overcome poverty and other obstacles to succeed. President Obama, himself, is a prime example.

In my opinion, many African American leaders and role models prefer to create controversy and “stir the pot” for their own reasons. In point of fact, sometimes they do more harm than good. Mr. Sharpton is guilty of that, but he is not the only one, just one of the most prominent. Influential African American entertainers, sports figures and politicians (we all know who they are) should be speaking out about the really important issues, such the out-of-wedlock birth rate, absentee fathers, poor parenting, gratuitous crime and violence and reliance on entitlements. The Bill Cosbys of the world are few and far between. The government cannot lift you up; you must do it yourself, and accept responsibility for your own actions or inactions.

President Obama is uniquely positioned to speak out – raised by a single parent, Harvard educated, President of the country. He is the role model of role models. He has tremendous influence and credibility, which he can use in a positive way, if only he would do so. Why hasn’t he? Your guess is as good as mine.

So, I challenge African American leaders and role models that if you REALLY want to help, speak up in a positive, constructive way, not in an inflammatory, divisive way. After all, to paraphrase what Congressman John Lewis said in his speech on Tuesday: “We are all in the same house, the same boat. We are living together in AMERICA’S house.”

Hope and change. Remember how we felt on Election Night in 2008. We were feeling so good about ourselves. We had just elected the first African American President of the United States. We had confirmed that old adage that anyone can succeed in America; under our way of life anything is possible. Mr. Obama was going to bring us all closer together: black and white, rich and poor, young and old. He was going to make America a better place, economically and socially. As a bright, young, vibrant African American with superb communicative skills he was uniquely positioned to do so. Sure, he had a liberal background as a community organizer and U. S. senator, but now he would be the president of ALL the people and broaden his perspective accordingly, much as many other presidents had before him. Or, so we thought.

Now it is 2013. Five years have passed, and none of that optimism has come to pass. If anything, we are worse off than before he took office. Consider the following negative affects of Obama-nomics:

1. Unemployment has remained stubbornly high. Overall unemployment is 7.4% versus 7.8% in January 2009 when Mr. Obama took office. Approximately 80% of jobs created have been part time as employers seek to minimize expenses for employee healthcare (more on this later). Furthermore, a disproportionate percentage of the jobs created have been at the low end of the wage scale. Many college graduates, unable to find jobs in the field for which they were educated, at great cost I might add, are waiting tables or working at low salaries, if they can find a job at all. Also, not included in the unemployment rate are the 8 million or so discouraged persons who have given up and stopped looking for work. Unemployment among blacks is 12.6%, about the same as in January 2009.

2. The average duration of a person receiving unemployment benefits has risen to 37 weeks compared to 20 in 2009. This is consistent with the fact that jobs are not as plentiful as the Administration would have you believe.

3. Despite Mr. Obama’s aggressive attempts to redistribute income and wealth, the poverty rate is 16%, which is higher than it was in 1965 when the “War on Poverty” began.

4. Over half of Americans earn less than $54,000 a year and the number of Americans on food stamps is increasing by 11,000 per day.

5. The average price of a gallon of gas at the pump is $3.53 compared to $1.85 in 2009.

6. Even Mr. Obama’s signature legislation, the (Un)Affordable Healthcare Act, has had negative unintended consequences. Healthcare costs are already rising as the insurance companies anticipate their increased costs when the law takes effect in 2014. Moreover, many employers have been reducing their employees’ hours below 30 per week. That way, they will be considered to be part time and ineligible for healthcare coverage under employer-sponsored plans.

7. Yes, the stock market is booming and corporate profits are up, which bodes well for the future. But, so far the primary beneficiaries of this have been the wealthy as they are the ones who own stocks. So, the supreme irony is that Mr. Obama’s policies have been hurting the very people that he wants to help and helping the very people he wants to hurt.

CONCLUSION AND PREDICTION

Mr. Obama, as the first black president, had a rare, if not unique, opportunity to bring us all closer together. However, instead of being the “Great Unifier,” he has been the “Great Divider.” His anti-capitalist, Robin Hood-esque economic policies have been an abject failure. His partisan politics have pitted rich against poor (tax increases and growth of entitlements), black against white (defending Trayvon Martin before the trial even began, while ignoring the slaying of an Australian citizen by three “bored” youths,” the school bus beat-down of a 14 year old by three black youths and the random slaying of an 88 year old war veteran), women against men (exaggerated “war on women” election issue), young against old and the haves against the have-nots.

Furthermore, he has failed to come clean on several scandals: Fast and Furious, Benghazi, IRS investigations and Eric Snowden’s disclosure of NSA activities, to name a few. Where is the leadership and accountability. Harry Truman must be turning over in his grave.

In my opinion, there is more social discord now than at any other time in the last 40 years (since the end of the Viet Nam War). I believe America is strong and resilient enough to survive the next three years, but it won’t be easy.

According to the 1960 US census, Detroit was the richest city in the US on a per capita basis. In August it filed for bankruptcy. Detroit was not the first US city to file for bankruptcy, but it is by far the largest. For the record, others that share that dubious distinction include San Bernardino, CA, Stockton, CA and Central Falls, RI, among others.

What happened? How did Detroit get from point A to point B? Is its situation an isolated case or a portent? The answers are disturbing and do not bode well for the future.

Some of the factors over the last 50 years that have led to Detroit’s current situation are as follows. Note, many of these are interrelated.

1. The precipitous decline of the auto industry, which was Detroit’s bread and butter. There were many factors that contributed to this decline, but, simply put, the Big 3 could not compete with foreign manufacturers. Their operations were more inefficient and more costly, and their cars were qualitatively inferior. By 2009 the US auto industry was on the verge of extinction. The Federal bailouts in 2009 saved the Big 3, but not the city.

2. White, middle class flight to the suburbs. Detroit’s population has declined from 1.85 million in 1950 to approximately 700,000 in 2013. Many of those fleeing the city have simply abandoned their homes or businesses because they were severely underwater. This has eroded the tax base further.

3. Political corruption, which was exacerbated by the fact that the voters continually voted Democratic.

4. Exorbitant debt. This includes substantial underfunded pension and healthcare benefits for public employees. Even under the best case scenario these workers are likely to endure significant reductions in their retirement benefits. Furthermore, to add insult to injury Federal law dictates that bondholders’ claims would have priority over those of retired workers.

5. Crime, especially violent crime, is on the rise. The homicide rate is the highest its been since the 1970s. The police are stretched so thinly that it takes 58 minutes, on average, to respond to calls for help compared to the nationwide average of 11 minutes. Only 1/3 of the city’s ambulances are operative.

Under these circumstances, the chances of a reversal of fortune are slim and none.

I don’t mean to single out Detroit. Most US cities are heading toward the same fate. Detroit just got there first. There are common threads running through most of these cities. The following factors are present in varying degrees:

1. Substantial debt.
2. High taxes.
3. Declining population.
4. Generous entitlement programs.
5. Strong, often implacable, unions.
6. High compensation to public employees.
7. Substantial pension and healthcare commitments to retired public employees.
8. Non-right-to-work laws.
9. High crime rate

Want more bad news? When the stock market advances slow or reverse themselves, as they inevitably will, the debt and underfunding will increase accordingly. Additionally, the states in which these cities are located are not financially able to bail them out as they, themselves, are often in financial straits. California leads the pack, but New York, New Jersey, Texas, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania are right behind it. Moreover, if you’re think that the Feds will come to the rescue, forget it.

PREDICTION AND CONCLUSION

I don’t see any relief on the horizon. In my view, this is one mess that the Feds will not be able to spend us out of. There are simply too many municipalities that need assistance and not enough money. Bailouts would not be popular among the voters. Remember the unpopularity of a prospective bailout of New York City in the 1970s? Remember the famous newspaper headline – “(President) Ford to NYC: Drop Dead.” Besides, why reward bad behavior? I believe people should be responsible for the consequences of their actions.

Other municipalities should take heed and put their own house in order. They will need to change their modus operandi substantially – control expenses, reduce debt, incentivise businesses and middle class folks to stay, maintain a reasonable tax structure, reduce crime, etc. It won’t be easy, and it won’t be corrected overnight. It will require a significant shift in policies. But, it must be done or the consequences will be dire.

Americans’ fascination with British royalty is perplexing to me. It seems that many people cannot get enough of it. We put their lives under a microscope, like rock stars, elite athletes or movie stars. The birth of a new heir was particularly interesting to many people and served as a nice diversion from the world’s problems.

America was founded on the principle that “we are all created equal.” It says so in the Declaration of Independence. Yet, many of us are in awe of people who have done nothing to deserve it other than being born in the right bed. Anyway, I accept that I am outvoted. So, below please find my “Royalty Quiz.” All you royalty watchers,see how much you really know. No peeking at the internet.

1. The heir’s name is:

a. George Alexander Louis
b. George Michael
c. Charles James
d. Henry James

2. The heir is what number in the line of succession to the throne.

a. 1st
b. 2nd
c. 3rd
d. 4th

3. Identify the royal family’s “house.”

a. House of Stuart
b. Royal House
c. House of Elizabeth
d. House of Windsor

4. Which monarch had the longest reign?

a. Elizabeth I
b. Elizabeth II
c. Henry VIII
d. Victoria

5. Who was king during the Revolutionary War?

a. George II
b. George III
c. Edward V
d. Edward VII

6. Who was the king depicted in the “Robin Hood?”

a. Richard I
b. James I
c. Edward I
d. John II

7. Who became king following the Battle of Hastings (1066)?

a. James I
b. George I
c. William I
d. Henry IV

8. Who was king immediately before the current monarch.

a. Henry I
b. Henry II
c. George VI
d. Edward VIII

9. Who is the current monarch?

a. Elizabeth I
b. Elizabeth II
c. Elizabeth III
d. Elizabeth IV

10. Who was the only king to abdicate the throne?

a. James II
b. William III
c. Henry VI
d. Edward VIII

11. Why did he do so?

a. He had a bad speech impediment.
b. He wanted to marry a “commoner.”
c. He was very ill.
d. He wanted to become a professional rugby player.

12. Which monarch had the shortest reign (7 months, 7 days)?

a. Edmund II
b. James III
c. Anne I
d. Richard II

13. Who was the king depicted in the movie “Braveheart?

a. Richard I
b. Edward I
c. William I
d. Henry I

14. Where did Kate and William meet?

a. College
b. A pub
c. Blind date
d. Dating service

15. Who was famous for his 6 wives?

a. James III
b. George IV
c. George V
d. Henry VIII

Answers: (1) a; (2) c; (3) d; (4) d; (5) b; (6) a; (7) c; (8) c; (9) b; (10) d; (11) b; (12) a; (13) b; (14) a; (15) d

Remember: No peeking! Don’t be reticent about posting your score. I would be interested in the results. Ten right is a good score. Less than five right and you may not be smarter than a 5th grader.

Since we are currently enjoying a long Independence Day weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to publish a patriotism quiz based on Independence Day and the “Star Spangled Banner.” Good luck. No peeking.

1. Contrary to long-held popular belief, most historians are now of the opinion the Declaration of Independence was not signed on July 4, 1776, but rather on:

a. July 2, 1776
b. July 5, 1776
c. August 2, 1776
d. September 1, 1776

2. Three US Presidents have died on July 4. Which of the following DID NOT die on July 4?

a. Franklyn Pierce
d. John Adams
c. James Monroe
d. Thomas Jefferson

3. Who was the only US President born on July 4?

a. Harry Truman
b. James Madison
c. Grover Cleveland
d. Calvin Coolidge

4. When did Congress designate Independence Day as a holiday for Federal employees?

a. 1800
b. 1850
c. 1870
d. 1946

5. The inaugural Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was held in:

a. 1916
b. 1920
c. 1955
d. 1980

6. The rules for flying the flag at half mast were promulgated by Presidential proclamation by which President?

a. Thomas Jefferson
b. Theodore Roosevelt
c. Franklyn Roosevelt
d. Dwight Eisenhower

7. The movie “Independence Day” was released in:

a. 1980
b. 1996
c. 2001
d. 2011

8. The star of “Independence Day” was:

a. Denzel Washington
b. Tom Cruise
c. Will Smith
d. Matt Damon

9. The “Star Spangled Banner” was written during what war?

a. Revolutionary War
b. War of 1812
c. Mexican War
d. Spanish-American War

10. The SSB was written by Francis Scott Key during the bombardment of:

a. Fort McHenry
b. Fort Washington
c. Washington DC
d. Baltimore

11. The SSB was designated the National Anthem in:

a. 1815
b. 1865
c. 1916
d. 1931

12. The tradition of performing the national Anthem before every baseball game began during WWII. When was it first performed before a baseball game?

a. 1868
b. 1897
c. 1916
d. 1940

13. How many stanzas does the SSB have?

a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4

14. The musical “1776” premiered on Broadway in:

a. 1946
b. 1960
c. 1969
d. 2000

15. Before the SSB was designated as the “National Anthem,” which of the following was used as a “de facto” anthem?

a. “Hail to the Chief”
b. “God Bless America”
c. “Hail, Columbia”
d. “Stars and Stripes Forever”

ANSWERS: (1) c; (2) a; (3) d; (4) c; (5) a; (6) d; (7) b; (8) c; (9) b; (10) a; (11) d; (12) b; (13) d; (14) c; (15) c

Please let me know how you did. If you got more than 10 correct, you are a true patriot. If you got less than 5 correct, you may not be smarter than a 5th grader. I suspect most people will fall in between.

Is Eric Snowden a whistleblower whom we should laud for disclosing that the NSA is, in effect, spying on its own law-abiding citizens, or should we condemn him as a traitor who is providing proprietary information to our enemies? That is the $64,000 question. Currently, the public seems to be rather evenly divided. Forty-seven percent of the respondents to an online poll think he is a traitor; 53% view him as a whistleblower. Furthermore, according to a recent Pew Research poll 56% believe it is acceptable for the NSA to track citizens’ telephone calls to investigate terrorism, while 41% say no. In a related poll, 52% believe they should not be permitted to monitor emails versus 45% who disagree. Politicians and commentators are also divided in their opinions. Some conservatives, such as Eric Bolling, co-host of “the Five” on Fox, have called Snowden a “hero” for disclosing the NSA’s actions. Rand Paul praised him for being “truthful.” On the other hand, politicians, as diverse as Nancy Pelosi and Dianne Feinstein on the left and John Behner and Peter King on the right have labeled him a “traitor.”

Who is Eric Snowden? To all outward appearances, Edward Snowden was a normal, soft-spoken 29 year old young man with a girl friend and a loving family. He lived in Hawaii. He qualified for a top secret clearance and landed a job with Booz Allen, a well-known defense contractor, which gave him access to the NSA’s communication monitoring activities. He claims that his “sole motive” for blowing the whistle on the NSA was to “inform the public as to [what] is [being] done in their name and that which is done against them.” He has fled the US, and, after a stopover in Hong Kong, is currently believed to be in Moscow.

The US is not sure where he is now. It wants him extradited, but has not been able to convince Russia or China to do so. Many people are interpreting this failure as an indication of the US’s waning influence in the world. I would agree. No one knows for sure what additional sensitive national security information he may have, what he has disclosed to authorities in China or Russia, and what he may disclose prospectively, voluntarily or otherwise. It is imperative that we get him back asap.

CONCLUSION AND PREDICTION

Eric Snowden is certainly a controversial figure. He has supporters and detractors on both sides of the political spectrum. Personally, I applaud him for blowing the whistle on the NSA. In view of all the government deceptive practices that have come to light in the last few years, I do not believe the NSA’s assertion that it is collecting telephone numbers but not listening to the calls without a probable cause warrant. Likewise, I do not believe them when they tell us they are collecting emails but not reading them without a probable cause warrant. Even so, we all know how easy it would be for the NSA to find a sympathetic judge to sign a warrant when it wants one.

On the other hand, I am troubled by the fact that Snowden fled the country and hid in China and Russia. These countries are not friends of ours, and one can only guess what sensitive, proprietary information he has told or will tell their governments. This is where I maintain Snowden has crossed the line from heroic whistleblower to traitor. His actions since he fled meet the very definition of treason, which is “a citizen’s actions to help a foreign government overthrow, make war against or seriously injure [his] country.” Incidentally, Snowden said he went to China because “they have a spirited commitment to free speech and the right of political dissent.” What? Is he delusional? Who is he kidding?

I think Snowden should return home asap and face the music, before he causes any further damage.

You’re an overachiever. You’ve worked hard your entire life to earn the much coveted college diploma. In high school you studied really hard, even on the weekends when your friends were out playing ball or going to parties. You have worked since you were 14 to earn extra money. Then, in college you worked part time and summers to help pay your own way. Your parents have made financial sacrifices on your behalf. You took out a student loan certain that you would be able to pay it off after college when you got your first real job. And now, you’ve made it. You’re a college graduate. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that you’ve worked for your entire life is yours.

But, wait, where are the jobs? You kept up your end of the deal. Now, at the age of 22 you find yourself unemployed or underemployed, heavily in debt, and disillusioned. You’re supposed to be holding down a six figure job with high upward mobility, but instead you’re stacking shelves in a Wall Mart. You’re supposed to be living in a cool bachelor pad in a nice neighborhood, but instead you’re back living with your parents in your old room. What’s going on? What happened? How are you supposed to get married, start a family, pay back your student loans? That, friends, is the essence of the plight of many college graduates.

The conventional wisdom has always held that a college degree is the pathway to success. Traditionally, the level and quality of one’s education has been the most reliable indicator of one’s economic success in life. That may still be the case for some, but whether it’s the current state of the economy or something more permanent, the fact of the matter is that presently there are simply not enough quality jobs for all college graduates. More students are graduating college than ever before, which is great as far as it goes, but about half of them end up working in jobs that do not require a college degree, such as waiting tables, driving a taxi, or working at the local deli counter. For example, we classify fire fighting and driving a taxi as blue collar jobs, yet 15% of them have college degrees.

Persons with some college degrees are more employable than others. For example, holders of economics and engineering degrees are faring better than business majors, which are eight times more likely to have to settle for a lesser job, if they can find one at all.

Then, there is the issue of student loans. It now requires a king’s ransom to pay for college, especially a private school. In addition, many colleges stretch out the process to five years or more. Student loans and other financing is relatively easy to obtain, but you have to pay it back someday. In 2012 the average student debt was nearly $30,000. Many professions, most notably doctors and lawyers, require additional schooling. For example, a typical doctor could be in school until his or her 30’s earning little or no money. Then, when he commences his career he could have a student debt in the mid six figures. Today not every doctor earns substantial money, certainly not right away, so they could spend most of their working lives paying off their student loans. The delinquency rate is 12%. Don’t be surprised if student loans are at the center of the country’s next financial crisis.

CONCLUSION AND PREDICTION

It’s no wonder that surveys show a considerable level of disillusionment of college graduates. Like I said, you work your whole life to achieve a certain goal, and when you do, there is an expectation that it will bring you success, status, and satisfaction. But, then you discover there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, just frustration, disappointment and your old room in your parents’ house.

Hopefully, the situation will be resolved when economic growth returns. However, one note of caution. The present immigration bill, which is expected to become law in some form, will likely add many millions to the labor force. In many cases, they will be competing with the college graduates for these jobs at the lower end of the market.

MANNERS.

“After you. No, after you. No, I insist, after YOU.” That was the essence of a famous vaudeville routine in the early 1900s by Alphonse and Gaston that was based on a comic strip of the same name. Sounds trite today, but it raises the question: Where have manners and politeness gone? What has happened to the courtly gentlemen and proper ladies of yesteryear? Who are the present day Cary Grant, David Niven, Audrey Hepburn and Katherine Hepburn? In my opinion, we have, for various reasons, become a less polite society. People have generally become more narcissistic and less tolerant of others. For me, the turning point was the 1960s and the breakdown of respect for authority, which was fueled primarily by young people’s anti-war protests, and the trend has continued.

For example (and forgive me for using generalizations, which I realize, by definition, do not apply to everyone):

1. Respect for authority – Children are less respectful of parents, teachers, and others (older people and symbols of authority, such as police officers). When I was a boy we called adults “Mr.” and “Mrs.” I didn’t even know the first names of my parents’ friends or the parents of my friends. We didn’t disrespect teachers. Now, kids actually beat up teachers! We didn’t talk back to coaches and game officials. Now, parents not only berate coaches and game officials (who, in many cases are kids themselves and volunteers to boot), but they even fight with them. Guys, remember how much fun we had playing sports by ourselves, without parents watching our every move and yelling “advice” at us?

2. Attire – This is not even close. Fifty years ago, people dressed more neatly and, yes, respectfully. Men wore suits to white collar jobs. That’s where the term “white collar” originated. Men even wore white shirts and ties to baseball games. Just look at the old films if you don’t believe me. Male teachers wore a tie and jacket, and, by the way, air conditioning was not common. Yet, somehow people managed. Women did not go out in public dressed inappropriately. Kids dressed respectfully and properly in school. A student exposing his or her midriff and/or cleavage was unheard of! In contrast, ask any teacher how the kids dress in school now. For example, my wife, who is a teacher, told me a story of her principal meeting with a parent to discuss how inappropriate and provocative her daughter’s clothes were. He knew the meeting was for naught when the mother walked into his office wearing the same skimpy attire! When businesses permitted casual business attire, many people had no clue what to wear. They would often come to work dressed as if they were going to wash the car or do yard work, and their clothes would be wrinkled as if they had slept in them. Furthermore, some people don’t even dress up for church, weddings or funerals. To me, that is the height of disrespect.

3. Politeness – Many people have forgotten the words “please,” ” thank you,” and “you’re welcome.” Women, how often do men hold the door open for you anymore? I believe that rudeness is catching, like a virus. People feel that if you’re rude to them, they can be rude right back. Driving can be hazardous to your health in more ways than one, e.g. road rage.

4. Noise – Ever have the pleasure of listening to someone talk on their cell phone? They talk as if the other person is deaf. What makes them think the whole world is interested in their inane conversation. Quick story. Once, my wife and I were on an Acela train in a “quiet car.” Apparently, this one oblivious passenger didn’t get the memo, as he was talking on his cell phone in a voice loud enough for all the other passengers in the car to hear. Finally, I had to ask the conductor to tell him either to stop or move, which, thankfully, he did. At least with the advent of ear plugs we don’t have to listen to loud music on boom boxes anymore. Remember them?

CONCLUSION AND PREDICTION

As I said, we have become a less tolerant and friendly society. I’m not sure of the causes, but I feel strongly about the result. Moreover, I don’t see the trend reversing itself. I think we are all lesser for it.

I would be interested in your opinion and experiences.

It’s June 13, 2013. Do you know where your social security number and other confidential personal information is? Before you answer: “yes, of course,” and think what an inane question to ask, consider all the people to whom you have given this information VOLUNTARILY (medical professionals, credit card companies, banks and securities broker-dealers, to name a few). Also, consider who else to whom you have granted access INVOLUNTARILY (email providers, Facebook, hackers).

Well, now you can add the Federal government to that list. A “whistle blower” named Eric Snowden has just disclosed that the NSA has been identifying and storing your telephone numbers and, perhaps, your emails without a “probable cause” warrant. Mr. Snowden is currently in hiding possibly somewhere in Hong Kong. Regardless of whether you consider him to be a hero or a traitor, and I have heard both characterizations, we should ascertain what else he knows and can tell us. Better we debrief him than the Chinese or some other foreign government, don’t you think?

Is this practice a contravention of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which prohibits illegal “search and seizure?” Most legal experts opine that it is constitutional for the government to obtain telephone numbers that one calls without a warrant, but it is not constitutional for them to actually listen to the conversations or to read one’s emails without one. Storing without reading seems to be more of a gray area. The NSA claims that it is merely recording the telephone numbers, and that it is necessary to do so in order to foil terrorist plots. They deny they are storing the information or that they are reading emails without a “probable cause” warrant. This begs the question of the purpose of the 1 million square foot storage facility currently under construction somewhere in Utah.

Interestingly, this is the one issue that has crossed party and philosophical lines. One can find liberals and conservatives and Republicans and Democrats on either side. Can you identify any other issue for which this is true?

The government’s arguments sound good. We all want to be safe and secure. Furthermore, we love using the internet and social media for shopping, paying bills, gossiping, etc., but few of us stop to think what we are giving up in terms of the loss of privacy. Let’s not blame the Googles, Amazons and Facebooks of the world. Before you commenced using their services, you were required to agree to their Terms and Conditions in which you virtually signed your life away. But, who of us were aware of the Federal government’s intrusion?

Some have pointed that government snooping is not new. The NSA has been monitoring citizens’ communications since 1957. Fair enough, but I think we can all agree that communications and snooping techniques have advanced somewhat since 1957, so I fail to see that as a valid comparison or excuse. I think there are several concerns:

1. Can we believe what the government is telling us? Do we really trust them in view of all the other instances of government overreach and/or incompetence that have come to light recently? I covered this angle in my recent blog “Who Do You Trust,” so it is not necessary to repeat it here. I think most Americans would answer with a resounding “no.” Trust is at or close to an all-time low and with good reason.

2. How would this information be used/leaked. For example, what’s to stop the government from conducting selected investigations against average citizens based upon this information or blackmailing opposing politicians with the threat of disclosing compromising or embarrassing information? We have recently learned that the Administration is not above using the IRS or justice Department for political purposes. Why not this as well?

3. What, if any, safeguards has the government implemented to secure the information. We have to presume that any electronic data can be hacked. We all know what hackers can do with even a modicum of personal information.

4. The efficacy of this program is dubious. For example, it did not prevent the Boston Marathon Massacre, various incidences of school violence, or the Fort Hood incident. Under Congressional grilling the NSA could not cite one specific instance of prevention of terrorism or violence.

5. Even if you are a blind supporter of the Obama Administration, you have to be concerned that this is setting a precedent for future administrations, which may not be aligned with your political beliefs.

CONCLUSION AND PREDICTION

People should read George Orwell’s book, 1984. I say this with my tongue only halfway in my cheek. At the time it was written it seemed very far fetched. Now, not so much.

I would like to interject a word of caution. No one wants to compromise the country’s security. We all want to feel safe, be safe. On the other hand, there is still much we do not know about this matter, and that is precisely the point. We don’t know and we should. We are all busy with our personal lives and personal issues. However, it is imperative that we focus on this issue. It has a profound impact on us all.