National Security

"These drug cartels represent a clear and present danger to the national security of the United States."
--President Bennett (Clear and Present Danger)

Jacob Hornberger observes that the federal government rationalizes much of its unconstitutional actions under the ruse of 'national security.' The national security rationale has been particularly popular since the depths of WWII that, it can be argued, birthed the modern national security state in America.

The latest object of the national security state's rath is Edward Snowden. Snowden is being vilified by government and its media lackeys for revealing a massive government spying program on its citizens. Hornberger challenges the reader to provide an example of a totalitarian in regime in the last 100 yrs that has not engaged in large-scale surveillance of its people.

No can do, Jacob.

In addition to enabling internal spy programs, the national security ruse has facilitated covert and para-military operations elsewhere. Hornberger lists example after example--Iran, Guatemala, Chile, South Vietnam, Cuba, etc. No geographic theater has been spared Leviathan's tentacles.

It is easy, yet sad, to imagine what good the vast resources employed for 'national security' could have been, and still could be, used for. There would surely be less hunger, less disease, less homelessness had these resources been entrepreneurially and peacefully employed toward production that satisfies human needs.

The opportunity cost of the national security ruse can be seen as have to settle for lower general standard of living. Stated differently, when we fall for fall for the national security ruse, we sacrifice prosperity.

Hornberger suggests that the case of Edward Snowden offers an chance for all of us to reflect on this question:

Does a national security state apparatus have any place in a genuinely free society?