I want to thank the community first, tonight, for truly incredible dialogue in my ‘step-out’ (ie. NON-TC!) diary last night on ways in which Redstate Democrats like me can best use your help. The quality of the comment exchanges was the finest I have ever experienced as a host diarist, and it was a magical experience, indeed.
So tonight I want to write a bit more about possibility in red states, using an event that happened in my state as an example.
(And in a post-publication heads-up, please also read paradise50's fine KTK diary on the Redstate/Bluestate followup! That may be found here!)
More below, but first, a word from our sponsor ...
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Between August and late October of 2012, the Department of Revenue for the state of South Carolina was hacked at least five times. Exposed were the Social Security numbers (and in some cases credit cards) of 5.7 million current and former South Carolina residents and their dependents. (How many dependents were compromised has never been released to my knowledge, but the data stolen include dependent Social Security numbers, as well, even for newborns! Likely a million or more additional human beings whose Social Security numbers are at risk for life. One source I found said 1.9 million dependents!)
Many articles and analyses of the problem are available online. (Search on SC DOR hacking, for example.) The Post and Courier article I cited above is one of the few articles I have read (and I have been on the lookout for them since this happened!) that acknowledged that the hacking left all South Carolina residents in that time frame at risk of identity theft and Social Security number compromise FOR LIFE. Most articles seem to ignore or downplay that, even though in most cases the news media personnel and their families were compromised right along with everyone else, so their lack of diligent scrutiny of this sad episode is particularly galling.
The state hired Mandiant to research the hacking to see how it happened and to determine its full magnitude. In its way, Mandiant conducted a reasonable investigation, and found, to limited degree, how the hacking occurred. The article linked gives great detail on the event and on the magnitude of the compromise, but its best information is on the state’s ‘cover its ass’ measures following the hacking.
The article mentions SOME of the costs to SC taxpayers in followup, including $20 million in ‘remediation’ and another $20 million to beef up DOR’s cyber security in 2013.
Columbia’s The State newspaper said that SC taxpayers may receive free lifetime credit fraud resolution. In 2013, that was at a cost of $12 million to the taxpayers for that one year only. A different credit monitoring company was contracted for 2014, and I have not heard word ONE about 2015. Of course, Nikki Haley got re-elected, so it is likely a minor priority for her administration if it’s on a list at all.
Further, all of the WORK for this ‘free’ credit monitoring is on the taxpayer. One had to opt-in to obtain it, make the contact, complete the registration, and then all of the work of following the monitoring is on the taxpayer, including any followup if suspicious activity is flagged. If identity theft occurs, the work for resolving that is on the taxpayer, as well. Dealing with banks, all of one’s creditors, any and all consequences with law enforcement, with the credit agencies —- ALL of it. On. The. Taxpayer. The state is not involved, though the state caused the stunning LIFETIME risk exposure. If a taxpayer did not opt in to the credit monitoring, too bad.
Let’s say the credit fraud resolution IS paid for by the state for life. At a cost of $12 million per year, some of the youngest state citizens whose information was compromised may live to 80 or longer … how much money would that be costing the taxpayers for life? Of course, I don’t believe that more than a tiny percentage are opting in, in fact, so those costs may not be that high. And, the state is denying knowledge of ANY cases of identity theft tracing to the state’s giveaway of our information, since, of course, there are many other ways it COULD have happened. Convenient plausible deniability, indeed, for Nikki Haley and her miserable cronies.
What not one single investigative or reporting entity has said is that the state of South Carolina totally and utterly ABDICATED its responsibility to protect the private information of every one of its citizens. They did this for one reason: Money.
South Carolina is administered - on EVERY level - by Republicans. EVERY decision is made by Republicans. There are some Democrats in state government, but they are outnumbered and out-voted on every single issue. If a decision is made on any issue, it is made by Republicans. There are no exceptions to this. The South Carolina Department of Revenue had antiquated computer systems, it had almost non-existent security software, it had no security protocols, no security training to speak of, no security supervision, no security oversight. The hacking was found by the US Secret Service, which informed the state of the ‘problem’ a month and a half after it began! Left to their own devices, the DOR as it existed then might NEVER have found out! (Per the berghel report.)
As you know, Republicans like NOTHING more than cutting responsible government service to artificially subsidize tax reductions to buy the votes and souls of voters. This is a prime example. DOR was cheaply maintained, and now plugging the security holes and paying for the political ramifications is costing state taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, money the state was never going to use to SERVE the citizens, anyway, but now just that much more the state is spending on things unrelated to what the state should be spending money on. The problem could easily have been prevented for a fraction of what the state has now spent, if they had taken their responsibilities to the citizens seriously THEN. But, they didn’t. And the most frustrating thing is, (except for ME, best I can tell) NO ONE is holding them accountable. No one is pointing a finger at what they have done. Lifetime identity risk exposure, ZERO effective political consequence.
I started writing a bit about it last night, but it wasn’t ever going to fit in that diary, so, here it is tonight. And here is what I started writing about it last night.
A double standard I have been hammering in this state for well over a year is in the different reactions SC voters have for companies (like Target and Home Depot) that have compromised credit data, and for the state of South Carolina, that GAVE AWAY the Social Security numbers, personal data (and in some cases explicit credit data) for over 5,700,000 taxpayers, PLUS their dependents. That happened because of Republican administration of government in this state (at EVERY level), because of their desire to do government on the cheap, to do it poorly, ineffectively, irresponsibly. Antiquated computer systems/software, non-existent security training and protocols, ALL for the sake of ‘tax relief’ to buy voters' hearts and souls. It happened, in short, because the state government in which EVERY decision is made by Republicans totally abdicated its responsibility to the taxpayers of the state to protect our data to reasonable standards.
Target, Home Depot and other corporations that betrayed customer credit data have faced a major backlash with consumers for their failings, when all the customers have to do is cancel credit cards and obtain new ones. Little REAL consequence. Yes, some inconvenience, NOTHING like what identity theft involves! (There has been NO reporting on possible consequences of identity theft, either. Inexcusable.) The Republicans of the state of South Carolina have faced NO consequences for their betrayal of far more critical information. One cannot ‘cancel’ one’s Social Security number. There is a process for obtaining a new one, but it is extremely difficult to do, and its difficulties and ramifications stretch into every nook and cranny of our lives. ALL of the ordeal of obtaining a new one falls on us, not those responsible for giving away our information, and even if a new number is obtained, the old number would still trace back to us, if used for nefarious purpose. And that security breach exists FOR LIFE. For all dependents, too, even newborns, even if they live 80-90 years.
No consequence, no backlash. Absurd. But the risk exposure lasts for life, and I explain it as often as I can to any who will listen.
Back to tonight, now.
I write about it because that hideous episode should offend the sense of justice of every person in the state, considering the risk exposure, considering its lifelong duration (even to infants and toddlers!), considering it was caused exclusively by Nikki Haley and false economy Republican ‘leaders,’ statewide. It is what you get when you elect ‘government on the cheap.’ Government that does not serve, government that does not SEEK to serve the people, government by people who REJOICE when government FAILS the people, by people who CELEBRATE when it serves them poorly, inadequately. Because they just say that Reagan told us government was the problem, and the great Ronnie was right!
Government is not the problem at all. Government administered by Republicans IS. Not because they don’t care if government is badly run. Because they care above all THAT it be badly run. Because they insist that it do a terrible job for the citizens. Because - CERTAINLY in the state of South Carolina - they are in a position to INSURE that it does a terrible job. And they do insure that. This is but one example.
And, at least so far, the people are buying that. And not holding them accountable. Even if this particular gift - EVEN if one moves away! - is a lifetime of major identity risk, and threat to the financial well-being of every family.
Thanks for reading!
On to tonight's comments!
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From a2nite:
This is another excellent comment from LeftHandedMan regarding the problems of movement conservatism with regard to black Americans.
From Mopshell:
In Egberto Willies' diary Chuck Todd went all Jon Stewart on Traditional Mainstream Media & on Rudy Giuliani, NedSparks absolutely nails it in his comment regarding Obama's love for America.
From 2thanks:
The diary, The Five Invisible Pillars of Privilege, by GTK may not be seen by many, but gooserock's response describes white privilege very well and will likely get more eyes with a TC nomination.
Top Mojo for Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you
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FAQing Top Mojo.
1) Give him some more rope, please. by JoanMar — 228
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3) No, Obama, who has given healthcare to by NedSparks — 153
4) A friend of mine tells me the main diffrence by xxdr zombiexx — 138
5) Exactly. by Giles Goat Boy — 138
6) May it be so! by Eyesbright — 130
7) Yes and no... by elsaf — 108
8) O'Reilly's photographer... by assyrian64 — 107
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10) Hard to imagine anything more by Portlaw — 105
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13) He'd have remembered - but for the old war wound by ItsSimpleSimon — 88
14) O'Reilly's version of the events... by assyrian64 — 85
15) No report by ruscle — 82
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2015-02-23 Top Comments with Pictures, courtesy of
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