The benevolent dictator.....

I have been thinking a lot recently about the concept of the benevolent dictator (I will write a more in-depth piece on this at a later time). There are many that have incredible faith in government and its ability to make proper decisions during times of stress. I remember back in 1998 when someone argued with me that having a dictator in Hong Kong or other Asian nations would assist in overcoming the economic problems that were facing the region at that time. But the problem with dictators, benevolent or not, is that after they solve the problem at hand, we are then stuck with them for all decisions going forward and sometimes for very long periods of time afterwards.

So, our government, in its great wisdom, looking out for the best interests of the nation is planning to allow the President to disconnect customers from the internet in the event of a cyber attack....

Internet companies and civil liberties groups were alarmed this spring when a U.S. Senate bill proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet.

.......

The new version would allow the president to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to "non-governmental" computer networks and do what's necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for "cybersecurity professionals," and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license.

More here.



China suppresses communication now in Xinjiang where there has been violence and unrest and does not allow internet access and one cannot make international telephone calls. This is all done in the name of stability but it really is designed to quell a restive population.

However, one needs to consider these massive takeovers of American liberties by the government as we face many challenges going forward. The dangerous intrusion of government into American life is promising a loss of liberty in that nation. Just imagine what is being considered now; besides the ability of the President to disconnect private citizens from the internet, a takeover the American healthcare system that accounts for 20% of the nations output and including all personal healthcare information, intervention in free speech cloaked in the name of the 'fairness doctrine where speech will be judged on its partisan content, an elimination of a worker to vote for or against unionization in privacy and other interventions over the previous several decades.

None of these seem to be a problem at this time, but it could be when the 'benevolent' government will feel compelled to use these tools for either the current stated reasoning or some other use.