Edward Snowden's Invasion Of Privacy

Consider the technology that defines everyday life in America- texts, email, internet, and phone calls. In performing these constant activities, most never questioned their privacy, that is, until Edward Snowden squealed on the NSA’s less than ethical maneuvers. Without citizens’ consent, the American government was collecting metadata, “all the information surround a call, including the caller’s number, the receiver's number, the time and location of the call, and how long it lasted” (Diamond). The government may have been shooting for just the bad guys, but all American civilians got caught in the crossfire. Nothing would exempt a person from these invasions of privacy, and their data would be scanned and stored just like that of a seasoned
criminal. Americans never signed a waiver and the government never got a warrant, rather this freedom has been swept up and away in the evolution of technology. Some may argue that thwart plots and save lives, but at what cost? With this much access to such personal information, there is a potential for unprecedented abuse. If you give a mouse a cookie, he is going to want a glass of milk to go with it. Some may argue that as long as the actual content of the call is not being divulged, there is no real danger to privacy. But, “Repeated calls to a cardiologist could suggest a heart condition. Repeated late night calls between two employees could suggest a romantic relationship. They could know, for example, whether an American called a psychiatrist three times in 36 hours, twice after midnight. That is a lot of private information” (Diamond). In the end, the fact that the content of the call is not collected is irrelevant, what is collected around that provides more than enough information to reach a conclusion. The government was spying on its very own citizens, without their knowledge. And the man who showed America the light, Edward Snowden is not being revealed as a hero, but, “has been charged with espionage, and he now lives in Moscow, where he was granted asylum” (De Haes). This involvement from the government has gone too far, with privacy being a concept, not a practice. But politicians are still backing up their Patriot Act, even after unanimous outrage from the American people. House Speaker John Boehner stated, “This legislation is critical to keeping Americans safe from terrorism and protected their civil liberties” (De Haes). Perhaps he was mistaken, as being spied on through methods that rarely catch terrorists do not keep Americans safe from terrorism and protect civil liberties- it takes them away. Personal liberties are a foundational stone that keep the American flag flying high, but in a time when the government secretly robs its citizens of privacy and freedom, this flag seems to be leaning on something much less sure. Retirement seems like a non-issue, since the government “handles it.” An American worker does not sign an application for Social Security taxes to be withdrawn, rather a certain percentage is withdrawn automatically, before the money earned through hours of hard-work ever hits the bank account of the earner.
This is supposedly done to safeguard the worker, to make sure they save money for when they are no longer able to work. But here is the issue- the government is not just hanging on to the money like a savings account, and what one puts into Social Security is not how much they will get out. “People retiring today will be among the first generation of workers to pay more in Social Security taxes than they receive in benefits over the course of their lives” (Kadlec). That means the government’s supposed “safeguard” on the people’s money is actually just a well-advertised robbery. An American would have more money to better plan for retirement without the government’s involvement. Not only that, but “As recently as 1972, Social Security taxes applied only to the first $9,000 in annual wages that a worker earned. This year, that figure has climbed above the $110,000 mark” (Caplinger). This means that the government is creeping up the pay scale on the amount of taxable income, resulting in the more that you make, the more you lose. Reaching a figure above $110,00 for most is altogether unattainable, so they are subject to income taxation. The government takes hard-earned
money, to supposedly save it for later, but each person does not receive their money back equally. “Social Security has what it calls ‘bend points’ above which every additional dollar of earnings yields a smaller increase in your monthly benefit. For instance, in 2012, the first $767 of average monthly earnings produces a benefit of $0.90 per dollar, while additional earning up to $4,624 boosts monthly payments by $0.32 and income above that increase a payment by $0.15” (Caplinger).
Our government advertises equality, when our retirement money, that we are entitled to, is not even returned in equal amounts. The more one contributes to the system, the less they are rewarded. The government has gotten involved in everything, the past, the present, and now even America's future. Government entities, such as the USDA, DNR, and EPA are for taking power from, err giving power to, the American people.
This line should be razor sharp and distinct to the point of these instances seeming like polar opposites. Instead, these government entities are stealing the American people’s right to livelihood. Recently, under the guise of protecting the environment, the Environmental Protection Agency crafted a fresh set of limitations upon carbon emissions. The “carbon limits for power plants are projected to cause 90 gigawatts of coal plant capacity to retire by 2040,” which would “significantly raise electricity costs, close numerous power plant and kill the jobs of the people working there and in related fields” (Cama). The coal industry is historically vital to the survival of the American people. Not only do more plant keep prices low, they keep more people employed. This is not a power the government should be able to hold over its people, saying how low is too low for electricity prices, or deciding how many is too many people employed in the power industry. These people will be out of work, not because they did anything wrong, but simply because they are at the mercy of the government’s fickle decisions. These people will have no source of income, and more than likely will end up on a form of Social Security. Once again, even more money will be taken away from the people’s retirement because of a governmental decision. If the people decided carbon
emissions were too high, then it should be in their hands to take preventative steps, instead of just shutting down billions of dollars worth of plants and stealing income from hard-working people. But the EPA is not the only entity making decisions that should be left to the American people. In another case of the government getting drunk on power, the USDA and DNR partnered to attack a small business owner. Baker’s Green Acres is out of luck, as the “Department of Natural Resource went on a mission to eradicate heritage pigs, calling them a feral invasive species. This move would wipe out the entire small-scale farm whose animals pose no threat to typical hog species. New blockages from multiple government agencies are making it impossible to run the farm” (Callaghan). This farm, and the pigs who reside in it, are crippled. The farmers are not allowed to pursue the basic American dream, but are being held under the thumb of the government. This farming family is forced to stand by and watch as their saving dwindle and their beloved pigs starve to death. This is not just a case of a single farm, this is a larger question that poses what the government should be allow to take away. The Bakers were causing no harm and posing no threat, but because of the fickle government’s decision, they fighting an uphill battle with no end in sight. As the article says, “This isn’t just a move from the rogue DNA- it involves agencies that deal with farms and that raise animals for USDA slaughter… but the DNR, that is supposed to oversee hunting preserves, public parks, and hunting operations has manipulated farm processing facilities, blurring the lines of authority significantly” (Callaghan). These instances show the willingness and the ease with which the government robs the American people of everyday life. There is no longer question as to if the American government is too involved in the lives of its citizens. When it begins to steal the means to basic necessities, employment, the grave has been dug and the stone engraved. Conspiracy theories of government takeover seemed laughable, but how far from reality are those tales? The majority has it- “57% of Americans say the government is trying to do too many things that should be left to businesses and individuals” (Newport). Take a moment to jot down some things the government has no control over, and one will run out of ideas before paper. The government has nearly unlimited control in healthcare, education, retirement, and even personal liberties and right to livelihood. America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is time to buckle those boots, before freedom is a word eradicated from the dictionary.