I'm reminded of the New York Times story from before the election interviewing Americans who moved overseas.
One of them was a Jewish father who's family left because of the Holocaust and had obtained German citizenship for him, his adult sons. He asked the NYT how the son of Holocaust victims could be safer in Germany than America?
I can't believe we have to seriously ponder that question.
I agree with the other comments: Thank you, Catherine, for keeping the public informed about these truly frightening actions. It is important that we are kept aware of the Trump Administration and its White Christian supremacists supporters efforts to mine our data. Clearly, the main stream media doesn't care or, worse, supports their effort.
So, this probably is nothing else to worry about, but when I read that Social Security & Medicare data was breached, and I read that fourteen ‘Blue’ states are being investigated for ‘fraud’, and I read that the Trump Administration is also soliciting voter data from every state willing to provide it - I note that many ‘blue’ states, some ‘purple’ states and even a few ‘red’ ones have joined a law suit over the voter data - well, I hate to add to the view that I may be a bit of a ‘Negative Nancy’, but how long before ‘fraud investigations’ begin wherein Social Security and Medicare recipients in states that ‘hate our country’ start seeing suspension of benefits until the Administration can find out, ‘what’s going on’ ? Since the personal bank data w/regard to where such benefits are transmitted to has also been breached, might they even decide that suspension of benefits is not enough, maybe they should ‘claw back’ already paid benefits, like they’ve ’clawed back congressionally funded project money? Is this an unreasonable fear? How about using such voter data coupled with all of the above being used to decide where troops need to be stationed at polling locations to, ‘prevent voter fraud’? I know this is all unreasonable. But exactly what is unreasonable in today’s environment ??
It's probable that all that data, and a whole lot more, are being fed into Palantir's giant database of everything and everybody. They've been doing this for the U.S. government for many years, but have recently greatly expanded the scope of data their massive surveillance engine scoops up. Highly probable that the State voter registration files that the DOJ is demanding end up there.
Please don’t t hesitate to go deep in the weeds. Your reporting is exceptional and your writing as well. More please.
I’m curious if you have any thoughts about silver, options on it at JP Morgan, slag from China, overnight lending at the fed. Is this a real story or smoke?
Thank you Catherine. This is really important stuff. I was worried about the missing and manipulated economic data but the other things are far worse and even more dangerous.
Relatedly and just this afternoon, National Park Service workers dismantled exhibits about slavery at the President’s House Site in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. The demolition with wrenches and crowbars took down exhibits such as those titled “Life Under Slavery” and “The Dirty Business of Slavery.” (Source, Philadelphia Inquirer)
The destruction, manipulation and malign collection of data and other records not only attempts to change reality and history, but to change our culture to fit the MAGA image. I hope that enough whistleblowers and other good public servants remain embedded in federal agencies to preserve what MAGA changes and destroys so that it can be restored.
And we definitely can use more excellent reporting like today's Receipts.
This made me wonder what would happen if the administration decided it's silly to keep census files sealed for 72 years? How would that information be used? Ordinarily, I would tell myself not to borrow trouble. Ordinarily.
This is very, very bad. The entire statistical system relies on the maintenance of "functional separation" of data collected for statistical purposes and *any* non-statistical use. This wall doesn't seem to have been breached yet (the NDNH is an instance of administrative data from the UI system) but it's scary to have hoodlums like Homan and the DOGEbros barking at the door.
Perhaps off the subject, but in a recent Bulwark (with George Conway), both Tim & George referred
to the Trump - Kennedy Center !!!!! Had it been just once or twice, I could excuse that; they misspoke. But they both repeated it over & over, maybe 8 to 10 times. Not once did either one of them say The Kennedy Center. I've been a paid subscriber since the days of Charlie Sykes, and I AM OUTRAGED !!!! What's next, the Gulf of America ?
And to cite another lesson from history, the Census records from 1940 were abused when the US government used the records to identify Japanese Americans. Then approximately 120,000 were rounded up and "relocated" and incarcerated in "internment camps" for the duration of WWII
I'm reminded of the New York Times story from before the election interviewing Americans who moved overseas.
One of them was a Jewish father who's family left because of the Holocaust and had obtained German citizenship for him, his adult sons. He asked the NYT how the son of Holocaust victims could be safer in Germany than America?
I can't believe we have to seriously ponder that question.
thank you for this
Incredibly important!
I agree with the other comments: Thank you, Catherine, for keeping the public informed about these truly frightening actions. It is important that we are kept aware of the Trump Administration and its White Christian supremacists supporters efforts to mine our data. Clearly, the main stream media doesn't care or, worse, supports their effort.
China has already hacked OPM once and now they and Russia will have an easier time figuring out which undercover operatives are on a US payroll.
So, this probably is nothing else to worry about, but when I read that Social Security & Medicare data was breached, and I read that fourteen ‘Blue’ states are being investigated for ‘fraud’, and I read that the Trump Administration is also soliciting voter data from every state willing to provide it - I note that many ‘blue’ states, some ‘purple’ states and even a few ‘red’ ones have joined a law suit over the voter data - well, I hate to add to the view that I may be a bit of a ‘Negative Nancy’, but how long before ‘fraud investigations’ begin wherein Social Security and Medicare recipients in states that ‘hate our country’ start seeing suspension of benefits until the Administration can find out, ‘what’s going on’ ? Since the personal bank data w/regard to where such benefits are transmitted to has also been breached, might they even decide that suspension of benefits is not enough, maybe they should ‘claw back’ already paid benefits, like they’ve ’clawed back congressionally funded project money? Is this an unreasonable fear? How about using such voter data coupled with all of the above being used to decide where troops need to be stationed at polling locations to, ‘prevent voter fraud’? I know this is all unreasonable. But exactly what is unreasonable in today’s environment ??
The main goal of DOGE was vacuuming up as much data as they could, for their own purposes and profit.
DOGE was never about waste and fraud. It was about firing people and accessing confidential data.
Exactly so.
It's probable that all that data, and a whole lot more, are being fed into Palantir's giant database of everything and everybody. They've been doing this for the U.S. government for many years, but have recently greatly expanded the scope of data their massive surveillance engine scoops up. Highly probable that the State voter registration files that the DOJ is demanding end up there.
Please don’t t hesitate to go deep in the weeds. Your reporting is exceptional and your writing as well. More please.
I’m curious if you have any thoughts about silver, options on it at JP Morgan, slag from China, overnight lending at the fed. Is this a real story or smoke?
Thank you Catherine. This is really important stuff. I was worried about the missing and manipulated economic data but the other things are far worse and even more dangerous.
Relatedly and just this afternoon, National Park Service workers dismantled exhibits about slavery at the President’s House Site in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. The demolition with wrenches and crowbars took down exhibits such as those titled “Life Under Slavery” and “The Dirty Business of Slavery.” (Source, Philadelphia Inquirer)
The destruction, manipulation and malign collection of data and other records not only attempts to change reality and history, but to change our culture to fit the MAGA image. I hope that enough whistleblowers and other good public servants remain embedded in federal agencies to preserve what MAGA changes and destroys so that it can be restored.
And we definitely can use more excellent reporting like today's Receipts.
This made me wonder what would happen if the administration decided it's silly to keep census files sealed for 72 years? How would that information be used? Ordinarily, I would tell myself not to borrow trouble. Ordinarily.
This is very, very bad. The entire statistical system relies on the maintenance of "functional separation" of data collected for statistical purposes and *any* non-statistical use. This wall doesn't seem to have been breached yet (the NDNH is an instance of administrative data from the UI system) but it's scary to have hoodlums like Homan and the DOGEbros barking at the door.
Perhaps a national work stoppage is in order.
Perhaps off the subject, but in a recent Bulwark (with George Conway), both Tim & George referred
to the Trump - Kennedy Center !!!!! Had it been just once or twice, I could excuse that; they misspoke. But they both repeated it over & over, maybe 8 to 10 times. Not once did either one of them say The Kennedy Center. I've been a paid subscriber since the days of Charlie Sykes, and I AM OUTRAGED !!!! What's next, the Gulf of America ?
A faithful fan
Jake J
Unless they were trying to drive home the ridiculousness of the whole thing.
I agree, we should resist the renaming.
At this point, none of this should surprise me, but I’m still shocked, appalled and angry.
And to cite another lesson from history, the Census records from 1940 were abused when the US government used the records to identify Japanese Americans. Then approximately 120,000 were rounded up and "relocated" and incarcerated in "internment camps" for the duration of WWII