The Spies Who Shag Us
From a column by Greg Palast (Read the full story HERE)
The leader in the field of what is called "data mining," is a company called, "ChoicePoint, Inc," which has sucked up over a billion dollars in national security contracts.Worried about Dick Cheney listening in Sunday on your call to Mom? That ain't nothing. You should be more concerned that they are linking this info to your medical records, your bill purchases and your entire personal profile including, not incidentally, your voting registration. Five years ago, I discovered that ChoicePoint had already gathered 16 billion data files on Americans -- and I know they've expanded their ops at an explosive rate.
They are paid to keep an eye on you -- because the FBI can't. For the government to collect this stuff is against the law unless you're suspected of a crime. (The law in question is the Constitution.) But ChoicePoint can collect it for "commercial" purchases -- and under the Bush Administration's suspect reading of the Patriot Act -- our domestic spying apparatchiks can then BUY the info from ChoicePoint.
posted by John Good @ 6:33 PM
5 Comments:
Palast is the best.
Have you ever seen his documentary "Bush Family Fortunes"?
Well worth your time. There's a scen where he's hanging out with this Democratic lobbyist from Texas. All I can say is gun and whiskey abound. Classic stuff.
Honestly, this is the first time that I had ever heard of him. I DO need to get out more. It's sometimes hard to be well-read when you work 60 hours a week AND have a family. But I TRY. =)
Is that a recent film? I heard him on Randi today during my drive home. He sounds like he knows his stuff.
Palast's " The Best Democracy Money Can Buy" details how Florida was stolen. Choicepoint was the company who played the major part to disinfranchise Dem. Voters. His Doc of the same name is a good see also. He even has one of the culprits run away(literally) during an interview. Anyone remember when Investigative Reprters investigated?
Palast is of that ilk.
Incidently, Choice Point was tasked with the same job here in Pa. for the 2004 selection. The reported felons were double checked and we had good oversight. Oh and Pa. went for for Sen. Kerry.
Peace.
Do you remember way back when Bush did a thing to promote NASA and it's mission. Well NASA is also one of our governments biggest number crunching labs, and they do alot of it. now that the budget is bigger.
NASA too? Sheesh, it just keeps getting worse!
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