President Obama Proposes Yet Another Big Federal Database With Your Name In It

Earlier today President Obama announced a new federal research program whose purpose is to enable doctors and scientists to, in the words of The New York Times­, “develop drugs and treatments tailored to the characteristics of individual patients.”  In order to do this, the program will be collecting genetic and other data on one million people.  The Times explains:

“Federal officials described the project as a research consortium that would collect information from large numbers of people.  The data could include medical records, laboratory test results, profiles of patients’ genes, and information about their diet, tobacco use, lifestyle and environment.”

In other words, a big, new federal database is going to have your medical records, lab reports, and information on things like your diet and lifestyle, plus your DNA.

But President Obama says we shouldn’t worry: “We’re going to make sure that protecting patient privacy is built into our efforts from day one.”  Right.  Just like the Obamacare website was going to work on day one.

It is especially interesting that this program was announced the same week that The Wall Street Journal disclosed a massive national database the Department of Justice has established in order to track movement of vehicles throughout the United States in real time.  While government officials have previously said they were tracking vehicles near the Mexican border,

“[w]hat hasn’t been previously disclosed is that the [Drug Enforcement Agency] has spent years working to expand the database ‘throughout the United States,’ according to one email reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.” (here)

Also, the Journal reports that the program’s purpose is more than just catching criminals:

“One email written in 2010 said the primary purpose of the program was asset forfeiture – a controversial practice in which law-enforcement agencies seize cars, cash and other valuables from suspected criminals.  The practice is increasingly coming under attack because of instances when law-enforcement officers take such assets without evidence of a crime.”

So, on top of revelations regarding NSA spying on our telephone calls and the Journal’s report of a national database tracking cars and trucks as they drive around the United States, President Obama wants to collect information about your diet, your lifestyle, your medical records, and your genes – in a file with your name on it.

Before he was on the Tonight Show, Johnny Carson hosted a daytime game show called “Who Do You Trust?”  It looks like that question may be more relevant than ever.