Thanks for commenting. I think this is a good point that may get missed in the diary: HSPD#12 itself is relatively harmless. It is in the application by the executive branch that is the problem. And that has been the pattern of this executive branch--ignore the actual law and step on civil liberties in the name of security. It is a general pattern from top down. This is one example. One could cite torture at Guantanamo as another, even worse example of overzealousness in the name of security.

Legal procedings are in the works. Hopefully that will resolve the issues raised in this diary (though there will still be other issues that I bring up in the second part). And pushing back is exactly what needs to be done!

And I also want to emphasize that I am not objecting to security clearances for actual sensitive projects. I am objecting to the more blanket application of security measures to a wider and wider area of society. Remember that this is, in theory, happening to all government employees. JPL just seems to have wised up first.