Google executive Eric Schmidt, who just stepped down as their lead executive, said in October last year that "the Google policy on a lot of things is to get right up to the creepy line and not cross it."
He failed. Because what you are about to read is REALLY CREEPY.
Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, has called on House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) to investigate the Obama administration's close ties to Google.
Google has spent millions of dollars on lobbying and political contributions, trying to spin their way out of big questions about their monopolistic practices and privacy breaches... but having friends in high places, like, say, THE WHITE HOUSE, certainly helps when pesky investigations start cropping up.
You first need to be aware that Google employees donated over $800,000 to Obama's presidential campaign. Former CEO Schmidt campaigned for Obama and served as an informal "economic advisor" during his run. Then when Obama got elected, Schmidt and other executives pitched in $25,000 each to help pay for the inaugural celebration. So naturally, Obama rewarded all their hard work with administration jobs. Schmidt sits on Obama's Council of Science and Technology Advisors, and other Google employees acted as "advisors" to the Obama transition team.
The most visible appointee (and the most controversial) has turned out to be Andrew McLaughlin. McLaughlin used to be head of global public policy at Google, and now he is Deputy Chief Technology Officer for the Obama administration.
That means McLaughlin shapes public policy that affects Google's rivals in the technology industry.
But wait? Didn't Obama claim he was against such a thing when he campaigned for President? Why, yes he did, and it is stated directly on his campaign website:
| "No political appointees in an Obama-Biden administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years." |
Rep. Issa is already familiar with McLaughlin because it came to light recently that McLaughlin used his personal email account to discuss policy matters with Google.
The White House's response was to "reprimand" McLaughlin and reassure the country that it wasn't a big deal, because he "didn't have any effect on policy decisions."
No; of course not. (wink, wink)
The Consumer Watchdog report also raises concerns about Google's privileged access to NASA's Moffett Airfield, which is conveniently located near Google's headquarters in California. The report says the airport "has been turned into a taxpayer-subsidized private airport for Google executives used for corporate junkets." Google and NASA struck a "deal" in 2007, allowing Google to use the airfield "in the name of scientific research." But apparently, Google needs to do a lot of research in the Caribbean, or among the Hollywood elite at the Sundance Film Festival---because those are the kinds of places Google executives are taking the jets.
Other groups have been denied use of the field, including a nonprofit humanitarian group---because obviously, hitting the swag room at Sundance is much more important than getting aid to needy people.
So there's the incestuous personnel issues and the fact that Google is using taxpayer money for vacation jaunts---but perhaps the most serious abuse of all occurred with the "Wi-Spy" coverup.
For three years, across thirty countries, Google's Street View cars were supposed to be capturing STREETS... but they also accessed open wireless networks as well and downloaded personal information like emails, passwords and other private data in the process. (Schmidt's famous reply to critics of their mapping system was, "If you don't like it, then move."... he didn't mention what people should about the data that was stolen from them; should it move, too?)
The official response from Google on the Wi-Spy issue was that a rogue developer must have snuck some kind of code in there by accident. Sorry!
That apology was good enough for the Obama administration. Private data stolen? No problem. The case was closed. No other investigation was done. Congress never held a single hearing on the matter.
If these "mistakes" don't sit right with you, FAX CONGRESS and demand an investigation of Google's relationship with the Obama administration. Have former CEO Eric Schmidt testify and answer questions about how it was possible for Google to download personal data from hundreds of millions of people across thirty countries by supposed accident---and what happened to the data that was captured?
The American people deserve to know the truth about Wi-Spy. We need to know how Google's special relationship with President Obama is affecting policy, and why our tax dollars are paying for Google executives to party around the world. You can send Blast Faxes to Congress right now and demand they begin an investigation.
Google has a treasure trove of personal information about users, and the Obama/Marxist White House can benefit from that information. What is going on behind closed doors with Obama and Google? How are their decisions affecting us?
Consider the Obama-Google connection in light of the "Net Neutrality" Act that was passed by the FCC in December, something that Google lobbied very hard for.
It was one of Google's top policy priorities. Net Neutrality essentially amounts to a takeover of the Internet by the federal government (which just happens right now to be Google's best friend). New regulations have the potential to forever change how American citizens access the Internet, how much they pay, and what speeds they encounter while downloading data. Even though it got blocked by the courts, the Obama's FCC voted along party lines to pass it in December.
The winner in net neutrality? Google and the federal government. The loser? YOU.
There is now a new push in Congress to give Obama an internet "kill switch," which he could use to shut down sites in the event of a cybersecurity emergency.
The kill switch bill would create 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.
Lee Tien, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation in San Francisco says "As soon as you're saying that the federal government is going to be exercising this kind of power over private networks, it's going to be a really big issue."
| "Make no mistake: We need to end an era in Washington where accountability has been absent, oversight has been overlooked, your tax dollars have been turned over to wealthy CEOs and the well-connected corporations. You need leadership you can trust to work for you, not for the special interests who have had their thumb on the scale. And together, we will tell Washington, and their lobbyists, that their days of setting the agenda are over. They have not funded my campaign. You have. They will not run my White House. You'll help me run my White House." -- Obama on the campaign trail |
Google had almost no presence in Washington four years ago; now they have Obama as a BFF, former employees in the administration, and a policy staff of about twenty people on K Street.
The "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" relationship with Obama has clearly given Google special treatment.
That was clearer than ever just recently, when Obama attended a fundraiser at the home of a top Google executive, earning $30,400 a head---and he didn't say a word about the income shifting techniques Google has been using to avoid paying taxes on foreign profits. Their nifty accounting has cost the U.S. government $60 billion in annual revenue.
We know Obama likes to spend our money, so it's really a shame he couldn't press his friends at Google to hand over that $60 billion.
FAX CONGRESS and demand an investigation of Google's relationship with the Obama administration. Have former CEO Eric Schmidt testify and answer questions about how it was possible for Google to download personal data from hundreds of millions of people across thirty countries by supposed accident---and what happened to the data that was captured?
The American people deserve to know the truth about Wi-Spy. We need to know how Google's special relationship with President Obama is affecting policy, and why our tax dollars are paying for Google executives to party around the world. You can send Blast Faxes to Congress right now and demand they begin an investigation.
Obama's "accomplishments" have amounted to him taking over everything from healthcare to banks, businesses and food---and now he's taken a predominant interest in the Internet and all things "cyber."
We know enough of this relationship to be worried---what is going on that we have not yet discovered? Let's alert Congress immediately and put an end to these strange bedfellows.
Sincerely,
Tony Adkins
Spokesperson, Conservative Action Alerts
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