SCOTUS Requires Warrant for GPS Tracking

As a follow up to our conversation earlier this month on police tactics and surveillance, the Supreme Court this morning issued its decision in U.S. v. Jones. The decision was unanimous in that the Court found a warrant must be issued in advance of the police attaching a GPS tracking device to a suspect's vehicle, although the Justices split over the reasoning behind this requirement. Privacy lives to fight another day...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/supreme-court-says-search-warrants-needed-when-police-use-gps-devices-to-track-suspects/2012/01/23/gIQA7wL1KQ_story.html?hpid=z1

The Future of History...

Can liberal democracy survive the demise of the middle class?   From everyone's favorite wonk Diva, Francis Fukuyama, explains himself here.


"Something strange is going on in the world today. The global financial crisis that began in 2008 and the ongoing crisis of the euro are both products of the model of lightly regulated financial capitalism that emerged over the past three decades. Yet despite widespread anger at Wall Street bailouts, there has been no great upsurge of left-wing American populism in response. It is conceivable that the Occupy Wall Street movement will gain traction, but the most dynamic recent populist movement to date has been the right-wing Tea Party, whose main target is the regulatory state that seeks to protect ordinary people from financial speculators. Something similar is true in Europe as well, where the left is anemic and right-wing populist parties are on the move."

America's Unlevel Field

Paul Krugman, America's Unlevel Field:

"Americans are much more likely than citizens of other nations to believe that they live in a meritocracy. But this self-image is a fantasy: as a report in The Times last week pointed out, America actually stands out as the advanced country in which it matters most who your parents were, the country in which those born on one of society’s lower rungs have the least chance of climbing to the top or even to the middle."

Real Talk On Economic Inequity

Amazing times when both Liberals and Conservatives are voicing concern on unprecedented "class inequality," or what Republicans like to frame as decreasing "income mobility," and the ability to achieve the "American Dream."  Both terms describe the same underlying issue of a disappearing middle class.

The Times:
-Harder for Americans to Rise From Lower Rungs

The Post x3:
-The danger in a declining middle class
-No longer the land of opportunity
-Iowa and the future of history

Ever wonder who controls the keys to the internet?

Link:  The Geo-Politics of ICANN vs ITU

The Internet is now the engine of the new global economy. It is a communication infrastructure. Both have been correctly regarded as national security interests of the very highest level of priority. Some of the participants in the ICANN/ITU world are former participants in arms limitation circles. Their mode of thinking is illustrated by the frequent use of phrases such as 'why would we give up...'.

Institutionalized Mass Surveillance - Big Data

Another issue raised at the last Caucus concerned "Institutionalized Mass Surveillance," decreasing expectations of privacy, and how this is changing our understanding of the Fourth Amendment.

In that discussion, Aaron Kleiner brought up the topic of Big Data and the technology that is allowing for even greater capacity to compute all the data that is collected during our day-to-day lives.

Some additional materials:  Thomas Friedman's glass half-full approach on tech and globalization.

In addition, Sean Gourley on the Mathematics of War:  

1.3.12 Caucus Follow-Up

2012 got kicked off in proper fashion.  Our first two-table Caucus!

In the interest of keeping the discussion going (albeit digital), below our two articles that were mentioned in relation to the Caucus topic of "Modern Police Tactics & Militarization."

The first is an Op-Ed written by Kate and published in the Seattle Times on Sunday.

The second examines the controversial "stop-and-frisk" technique used by the NYPD:

Part I   &  Part II

Enjoy!

Modern Police Tactics & Militarization

Caucus Materials: 1.3.12

Alright... 2012 it is. The esteemed Chris Casillas will be moderating the next Caucus, which is set for the first Tuesday of January: 1.3.12 from 7:30pm to 9:00pm @ Jade Garden.

The discussion topic: Modern Police Tactics & Militarization

Chris explains:

"I'd like to break the conversation into two interrelated pieces. I thought I'd pose a few questions associated with each topic to help facilitate the thinking in preparation for our meeting and to guide the start of our discussion.

Topic #1: Police Militarization:

Computers

Here are the materials for next month's caucus.  Thanks to Aaron Kleiner!

Mind bending computer stuff!

Scary Computer Stuff & Political Intrigue

Vanity Fair has great reporting on cyber-attacks and data loss, with a focus on the political elements.  There's a lengthy piece, Enter the Cyber Dragon, or a shorter version, Operation Shady RAT.  Both speak to the same area of activity, so take your pick.

Softball Computer Stuff For People With No Time

• NYT op-ed about new forms of surveillance and ramifications for privacy
• Cyber-censorhip map (a bit "beta"), courtesy of a Yemeni software developer who built a program to circumvent gov't blocks
• Content controls in the Western world?  Getting there.http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2011/09/chinese-hacking-201109

See you Tuesday 10/4, 7:30pm at the Jade Garden!

Anatomy of a Social Movement

EMPOWERMENT  PRACTICE AND  SOCIAL  CHANGE:
THE PLACE FOR NEW SOCIAL MOVEMENT THEORY

UW gives us what we asked for

For decades now we've heard the demand that government needs to be more like business. Can't it be more self-sufficient, more attuned to the bottom line? Well, yes it can. This is what it looks like.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2014693677_danny06.html

Liquor sales: business interests wake up to sober truth

Remember last year, when we almost gave the state liquor business away to private industry, for nothing? Guess what? Now the folks who want to privatize the state liquor system are back. And amazingly, they're offering to pay us (USD 400m) hundreds of millions of dollars for our liquor business!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2014608896_danny27.html

Port Commission gets 9% raise; Raises for Port staff capped at 3.5%

These are the kind of stories that detract from meaningful sacrifices from working class state employees:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014368706_portpay02m.html

The Bargaining Table

US Department of Labor (a.k.a. That Bloated Bureaucracy):

The American collective bargaining system embraces at least three characteristics distinctive to industrial relations in the United States. Perhaps the most significant is that our system of industrial relations is highly decentralized. The prevalence of plant and company negotiations grew out of the patterns of organizations among employers and unions scattered across the country.

http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/amworkerconclusion.htm

Have Washington state workers given their fair share?

Seattle Times:

As debate over government workers' wages and benefits erupts across the country, some lawmakers here are questioning whether state employees have given enough to help balance the state budget.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014343172_stateworkers27m.html

Rubicon: A river in Wisconsin

Charles Krauthammer:

In the private sector, the capitalist knows that when he negotiates with the union, if he gives away the store, he loses his shirt. In the public sector, the politicians who approve any deal have none of their own money at stake. On the contrary, the more favorably they dispose of union demands, the more likely they are to be the beneficiary of union largess in the next election. It's the perfect cozy setup.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/24/AR2011022406520.html

Shock Doctrine, U.S.A.

Paul Krugman:

In recent weeks, Madison has been the scene of large demonstrations against the governor’s budget bill, which would deny collective-bargaining rights to public-sector workers. Gov. Scott Walker claims that he needs to pass his bill to deal with the state’s fiscal problems. But his attack on unions has nothing to do with the budget.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/opinion/25krugman.html?ref=paulkrugman

The Wisconsin Uprising

Step one: Create your own budget crisis by giving out tax cuts to the privileged.

Step two: “Solve” your crisis by attacking teachers and other public servants.

http://dissentmagazine.org/atw.php?id=380

Obama budget plan shows interest owed on national debt quadrupling in next decade

Starting in 2014, net interest payments will surpass the amount spent on education, transportation, energy and all other discretionary programs outside defense. In 2018, they will outstrip Medicare spending. Only the amounts spent on defense and Social Security would remain bigger under the president's plan.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/16/AR2011021606897.html?hpid=topnews

Why The Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted

Social media can’t provide what social change has always required.

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/04/101004fa_fact_gladwell#ixzz1DXg6LnVX

Forum on Police Accountability

City Hall forum on Seattle police conduct erupts in anger, mistrust.

How Big Brands Can Help...

The opening salvo into what can build to be a great community.