A Hollywood Republican

This blog is for an open discussion on politics. My views will be to the right as will be most of the posters. But, we are willing to post alternative viewpoints as lons as they are well thought out. I started this in response to the Obama election and will continue it as long as it feeds a need.

Oct 23, 2009

"When Pigs Fly" by Ira Schwartz


Senator John Rockefeller’s Internet Bill S.773 has been winding its way around Capitol Hill for the last few months. Below is the Governments brief description of the bill.

“A bill to ensure the continued free flow of commerce within the United States and with its global trading partners through secure cyber communications, to provide for the continued development and exploitation of the Internet and intranet communications for such purposes, to provide for the development of a cadre of information technology specialists to improve and maintain effective cyber security defenses against disruption, and for other purposes.

The Bill directs the Secretary of Commerce to develop or coordinate a national licensing, certification, and recertification program for cyber security professionals and makes it unlawful to provide certain cyber security services without being licensed and certified. Requires Advisory Panel approval for renewal or modification of a contract related to the operation of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. Requires development of a strategy to implement a secure domain name addressing system. Requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support specified types of research and to establish a program of grants to higher education institutions to establish cyber security test beds.”

You got all that…good. Now if all that doesn’t upset you this will. S 773 also allows the Secretary of Commerce access to all privately owned information networks deemed to be critical to the nation's infrastructure "without regard to any provision of law, regulation, rule or policy restricting such access."

In other words it allows our government free access to all information, private or public, available over the internet, secure or unsecure, whenever “they” deem it necessary regardless of how many laws they are breaking and regardless of the constitution. An internet “Get out of jail for free” card that never expires.

Leslie Harris, president of the Center for Democracy and Technology, said, "The cyber security threat is real. But such a drastic federal intervention in private communications technology and networks could harm both security and privacy."

S 773 basically says the President has the authority, in the event of a cyber attack, to disconnect "critical infrastructure" networks from the Internet – including private citizens' banks and health records. The problem is the bill fails to explain what exactly a “cyber attack” is.

Also the bill give the Department of Commerce the authority to monitor private information networks deemed a part of the "critical infrastructure. The feds get to look through your health and financial records whenever they want to without a warrant. Where’s that Bill of Rights? I know I had it here just a minute ago. I’ll bet the constitutional attorneys are salivating over that one.

Also to be one of the “Cyber Security Professionals” you will have to be licensed by the Government. Sure why not…lets just give all the keys to the chicken coop to the wolves. And while we’re at it lets create “another government agency” and name another “czar” to run it. We’ll just print more money to pay for it…or is it borrow more money from China, Medicare or Social Security.

Larry Seltzer, software developer, who has written articles for such magazines as Fortune Small Business, Windows 2000 Magazine (now Windows and .NET Magazine), ZDNet and Sam Whitmore's Media Survey, said in an interview for eWeek, "The whole thing smells bad to me. I don't like the chances of the government improving this situation by taking it over generally, and I definitely don't like the idea of politicizing this authority by putting it in the direct control of the president. Let's think about this," continues Seltzer. "I'm especially curious as to how you take the telecommunications networks off of the Internet when they are, in large part, what the Internet is comprised of. And if my bank were taken offline, I would think about going into my branch and asking for all of my deposits in cash."

P.S. So would I.

According to the Center for Democracy and Technologies senior counsel, Greg Nojeim, in an interview with” Mother Jones”, “This bill would undermine the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). That law, (ECPA) enacted in the mid '80s, requires law enforcement seek a warrant before tapping in to data transmissions between computers.” OOPPSS…How convenient.

Over the last 30 years the internet has become an integral source of communication and information for the whole world. When China suppresses sections of the internet we are quick to scream about “human rights” violations yet right now in our own backyard our representatives are preparing to do the same thing under the guise of security.

I know I’ve used this quote from Ben Franklin before but we seem to have the need to constantly be reminded of this. “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

A few years ago a legislator, who requested the reporter not use his name, was asked about the possibility of the government placing restrictions on the internet. The legislator chuckled then responded, “Yeah right Son, when pigs fly.”

What’s that flapping sound I hear?

© 2009 by Ira Schwartz. Printed with permission of the author.

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5 Comments:

Blogger bruce nahin said...

This is all part of Obama's goal to control us womb to tomb- facisim at its worst controls the exchange of ideas. Look what happened to Humana, Chamber of Commerce,Fox for daring to challenge the Obama Glow.

October 23, 2009 at 4:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

As my friends know I am an Independent and tend to discuss issues as apposed to party. I have given Obama the benefit of the doubt when many of my friends would not. But...this is not a good thing and I think we need to stop it in it's tracks. Our Government will never be happy...they can't leave anything alone. When they run out of things to interfere with in our country they look to other countries to tamper with and at an expense that almost defies numbers..ENOUGH!

Bruce Carson..yea I said it!

October 23, 2009 at 6:26 PM  
Anonymous Ira said...

Way to go Bruce

October 24, 2009 at 8:10 AM  
Blogger Craig Covello said...

Let's just cut to the chase. The White House now regards itself as the new, omnipotent US government. Forget state's sovereignty. Forget privacy. Forget due process. Who needs a congressional legislature? Judicial branch? Prune it off. Constitution? Rip it up. The Chicago gangsters have take over. Let them do what they want, and nobody gets hurt. Understand? Good. (Or is this now considered "hate speech?"

October 24, 2009 at 2:06 PM  
Anonymous Billy Dean said...

We all have to wake up and see that the government does now have the people's best interest in mind. They only have one thing in mind, more money and power for them selves. It's time to clean house, vote them all out!!! All!!!!, we the people can do some pruning of our own!!!!!

October 26, 2009 at 6:32 AM  

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