Civil liberties and Privacy

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Ted Alden on U.S. Competitive Immigration

August 9, 2010

Every now and then you come across an article that cuts through the surface layer of superficial, short-term issues and illuminates the long-term challenges. Ted Alden’s thinking has always been this way, and he nails it in his recent article “U.S. Losing Ground in Competitive Immigration.” Ted lays out a cogent argument for encouraging the world’s brightest to study and stay in the United States. Attracting skilled immigrants to maintain our intellectual and entrepreneurial edge may seem like an economic issue, but it is also a key national security issue. Economic and entrepreneurial dominance clearly strengthens our security. We have that dominance today, but, as Ted points out, there are several factors undermining our ability to maintain that dominance. This article is the best I’ve read on the topic.

Security Debrief |

August 3, 2010

By Justin Hienz
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is home to bizarre sights, and the veneer of extreme luxury certainly impresses (or fools) most tourists. But when you pull back the curtain, the UAE is revealed as a developing country with many challenges, security among them. On Sunday, UAE officials announced that it would block BlackBerry mobile services. Clearly, the UAE is striving for security in every way, but at what cost? And are there parallels in our own country that deserve a closer look? Maintaining our individual freedoms is a never-ending struggle.

Rep. Franks: Administration Is Lying About the Arizona Immigration Law

Media Watch |

August 3, 2010

Rep. Franks: Administration Is Lying About the Arizona Immigration Law – US News and World Report Now, the administration claims the law pre-empts federal responsibility, but the Constitution is clear. Article I, Section 8, gives Congress “the power to … establish a uniform rule of naturalization.” As the Supreme Court held in INS v. Chadha, […]

Chris Battle |

July 30, 2010

What has been curiously missing from the Arizona immigration debate is that back in 1996 Congress passed a federal law giving state and local governments (and their law enforcement organizations) the right to enforce immigration law. On the one hand the federal government is suing Arizona for authorizing local law enforcement to coordinate with federal authorities regarding illegal immigration; on the other hand, the federal government is simultaneously requesting such assistance from local governments.

Steven Bucci |

July 12, 2010

OK, let me get this straight: a private sector company INVITES the National Security Agency (NSA) to place sensors on its privately owned network to help the company protect itself from unauthorized and unwanted cyber intrusions. Perfect Citizen, as it is called, is a program to detect cyber assaults on critical infrastructure, be they publically or privately held. The NSA will deploy sensors in critical infrastructure computer networks to detect a cyber attack. Some have worried that Perfect Citizen constitutes too much government monitoring in the private sector, conjuring comparisons to George Orwell’s 1984. But how in the world does Perfect Citizen constitute “Big Brother?”

Arizona immigration law puts Democrats' seats in peril

Media Watch |

June 21, 2010

Arizona law puts Democrats’ seats in peril – Scott Wong – POLITICO.com Arizona’s controversial new immigration law is imperiling a trio of centrist Arizona Democrats who are caught in powerful crosscurrents in their Republican-leaning House districts. The leader of their party, President Barack Obama, has criticized the state law as “misguided,” and the Justice Department […]

Security Debrief |

April 16, 2010

There are instances in crowd management situations where force is appropriate, but simply because it’s a crowd management situation doesn’t mean that force is automatically appropriate. The University of Maryland incident last month wasn’t a riot; it was a celebration, but a college student was severely beaten by police officers nevertheless. The long-term implications of the ongoing investigation must be a rethink of crowd management in the United States, because the current systems predispose police officers towards violence and the abrogation of First Amendment rights where neither is appropriate. The most urgent capability gap is an understanding of, and means to manage, people who are non-violent and non-compliant.

Some travelers displeased about TSA body scanners

Media Watch |

March 11, 2010

Some travelers displeased about TSA body scanners – Government Executive
The Electronic Privacy Information Center on Tuesday released a list of more than 40 complaints filed by air travelers about the use of whole-body imaging machines.

L. Vance Taylor |

February 22, 2010

Last week, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers at the Philadelphia airport grossly mistreated Ryan Thomas, a 4-year-old boy who has intellectual and physical disabilities, and his parents. Headed for an Orlando-bound flight to celebrate Ryan’s birthday at Disney World, TSA security screeners forced Ryan’s parents to strip off his leg braces to clear security. What happened to Ryan is a symptom of what’s wrong with the airport security process, and it should be leveraged to enhance safety while improving the airport experience for all flyers.

Privacy Experts Raise Concerns over Smart-Grid Technology

Media Watch |

February 17, 2010

Privacy Experts Raise Concerns over Smart-Grid Technology – Give Me Back My Credit Blog
Given the myriad of problems facing the United States right now, you can be forgiven for not worrying about what information your water heater is sending to the US government. The fact of the matter is, right now, it is not sending the government any information. But the Obama administration wants to change that. In fact, it wants to know just about everything you are doing with major appliances in your home on a real time basis.

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