53 Years To The Day That Eisenhower Warned Of The Military-Industrial Complex, Obama Will Further Its Cause
from the sad dept
Fifty three years ago today, President Dwight Eisenhower gave his famous speech warning of the military-industrial complex. It's quite a speech, and well worth reading, listening to or watching. But, the famous lines are the ones that still rings true today:In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.The White House claims that it's a mere coincidence that President Obama has chosen the anniversary of that speech to give his speech, outlining what are expected to be merely cosmetic reforms to the NSA's surveillance efforts, still convinced that even if the programs are incredibly broad and powerful, that it's okay since he won't abuse them.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
The folks over at EFF have put together scorecard of NSA reforms that the President should announce. You can play along at home and check off which ones the president actually supports, but I wouldn't rush to sharpen your pencils. You're not going to see too many checked boxes on this chart.
It is the task of statesmanship to mold, to balance, and to integrate these and other forces, new and old, within the principles of our democratic system -- ever aiming toward the supreme goals of our free society.The current president would do well to reread and to think about Eisenhower's words, but it appears that is not likely to happen.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: barack obama, dwight eisenhower, military industrial complex, nsa, reforms, surveillance industrial complex
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Man I wish we could vote in a guy who actually promises to do the hard things and change the status quo for the good of the citizens...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
Mr. Way too proud of Texas guy
Mr. Democrat in disguise
Mr. Thank you for smoking
Mr. Morally bankrupt
Mr. Anti-intellectualism
Mr. Night-watch state
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Snowden 2020? :-p
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Also in that same speech
Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.
In this revolution, research has become central; it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government.
Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers.
The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded. Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific technological elite.
This one seems to get overlooked.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Also in that same speech
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Also in that same speech
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Also in that same speech
(any other stupid ideas on how to deal with scientists that try to warn you from impending doom? And if you haven't noticed: if you pump energy in to a system, the first thing that happens is behaving chaotically. And "behaving chaotically" for the climate means "storms". The abundance of hurricanes is actually a very clear indication of global warming. The scientists at the hurricane warning centres are actually at the forefront of that "global warming crowd").
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Another Important Part of Speech
The longer the so called "legal" monopoly on force/violence that is the State is allowed to exist, the ever closer we come to naked scientific/technocratic totalitarianism.
While I know there isn't a lot that each of us can do alone to impact the leviathan State head on, we can choose how we live our lives and with whom we associate with. As I prefer consensual relationships and voluntary exchange, I choose not to break bread with individuals that support the institution of violence that is the State. Even more importantly, I advocate peaceful parenting; because violence is learned from our parents and our early childhood experiences (with up to 90% of parents in the USA still assaulting ["spanking"] their children before 1 year of age).
Adhering to two rules: Don't Hit (the initiation of force is immoral, self-defense is valid), Don't Steal (respect for self-ownership derived property rights). That's all it takes to begin to turn this thing around.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Another Important Part of Speech
Humans are better than common animals, but we still have the same problems. We learn through reinforcement. You want a kid to act right, then teach them early that small violations get a talking, moderate ones get a whoopin, and serious ones takes your freedoms away! What good is a system of 'learning' if you cut out the entire middle ground and keep only the minors & extremes?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Another Important Part of Speech
Good for you, man, that means you're the only one doing so.
Let me tell you something you can't bear to hear: there is no way of imposing the kind of idyllic hippiedom you seem to be advocating on the system we have now. The state, in and of itself, was created by the people for the people when the Constitution was enacted, and is therefore not the institution of violence in and of itself.
If we didn't have a state, we'd invent it, simply because there are some functions that individuals and groups require that they can't provide for themselves and can't rely on private enterprise, etc. to provide for them.
If you see taxation as theft, you're guilty of it every time you turn on your lights, because the government provided the electronic infrastructure for them. Every time you walk outside - 'cause guess who built the roads? What right do you have to walk on our roads that we paid for, or use the electronic infrastructure that we pay for, or anything else that we paid for - and still call us thieves?
Pay for what you use or live in a tepee in the middle of nowhere with only candles to light your way.
If there's anything I can't abide, it's a hypocrite.
- a taxpayer.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Another Important Part of Speech
This is what humans need:
Food
Water
Shelter
(MAYBE clothing)
Yep. As I thought. We wouldn't need "state" for any of those things.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Another Important Part of Speech
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
He has become such an egotist
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
It seems it's a human habit whether it's Asians, Arabs or "Westerns" to ignore the wisdom history teaches us and fuck up anyway. Except the Japanese will only have to rebuild material losses.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
20th/21st century Presidents
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: 20th/21st century Presidents
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Dont know who to listen to any more..
Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government, to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT, Progressive Principles
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Dont know who to listen to any more..
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Barry is a straight up tool
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
military industrial complex
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
nwo
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Greetings from the future! lmao
[ link to this | view in chronology ]