Give me liberty or I’ll write a harshly-worded blog entry
Apparently, some Representatives are pushing to establish a privacy czar:
To protect the privacy and civil liberties of Americans, the federal government may get a privacy czar if two congressional representatives have their way.
Reps. Kendrick Meek (D-Florida) and Jim Turner (D-Texas), who are both members of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, introduced a bill Thursday that would establish a federal chief privacy officer position, as well as separate positions at every federal department and agency.
Additionally, the Strengthening Homeland Innovation by Emphasizing Liberty, Democracy, and Privacy Act — or Shield Privacy Act — would establish a 10-member commission, appointed by various government bodies, for overseeing privacy and civil-liberty freedoms related to homeland security initiatives.
First, I am troubled by the fact that any post in the US government is has the job title Czar. Second, maybe if abuses of privacy weren’t so rampant, we wouldn’t need a czar. Instead of appointing some useless position that will cost tax payers, how about introducing some legislation to rid us of the bad laws that threaten our privacy? Pretty simple, no? And it will cost less.
How many tracking systems are in place by the feds? Off the top of my head: Social Security, income taxes, vehicle registration, drivers license fees, property taxes, gun purchasing data, and I’m sure many more. How about real reform in those areas if you’re serious about privacy?
May 24th, 2004 at 8:24 pm
Instead of appointing some useless position that will cost tax payers, how about introducing some legislation to rid us of the bad laws that threaten our privacy?
But, but… I thought more legislation was always bad! *ducks*
A bit more seriously, even legislation such as you suggest would have to have somebody whose responsibility it is to enforce it. It’s not the type of thing that can be entirely entrusted to, say, the executive branch.
May 24th, 2004 at 8:31 pm
Reading comp trouble? Not legislation but legislation to rid us of the bad laws that threaten our privacy is kind of undoing legislation.
I’d imagine the privacy czar would report to the executive branch.