SHOULD YOU BE WORRIED?

  -that the president believes he has the power, and legal right, to decide whether an American citizen can be deemed a threat and executed.  A whole new category of "citizen" has been created.  It's one in which the protections of the Constitution are suspended...no due process...no presumed innocence...no judicial review...no protection from cruel and unusual punishment.

     -that the president, two presidents, believe this nation can violate the sovereignty of another country and kill its citizens with impunity even if they are not engaged in a plan which is an immanent threat to this country, but "may" be planning one.  Does this set a precedent?  Does this mean China or Russia or North Korea or Iran could use drones to kill an American, in this country, they deem a threat?

     -that the military has successfully tested a drone controlled by a computer with no human operator.  The potential for disaster is breathtaking.  Can the computer program be hacked?  What about human reasoning and decision making necessary on the run or when conditions change?  (if another nation knocked out one of our positioning satellites hurting drone and other functions, would that action be considered a declaration of war?)

     -that the mayor of Seattle had to cancel a plan by the city's police department to use drones to patrol and watch over citizens.  The plan, drawn up clandestinely, evoked outrage among the citizens of Seattle and forced the mayor to cancel it.  You know what's coming to a city near you.

     -that Congress may implement a guest worker program as a part of an immigration reform package.  If ignorance of history guarantees a repeat of the same mistakes, forgetting about the "bracero" program of the 50's and 60's will result in a guest worker concept where the workers are exploited...pay is stolen or withheld...working conditions deplorable...worker's rights ignored or denied...agricultural corporations reaping huge profits on the backs of immigrants forced to leave at the end of the season with little or no opportunity to pursue legal remedies against employers.

     -that Catholic, Mormon and evangelical officials argue allowing gay Boy Scouts will result in an increase in boy on boy sexual abuse.  Really?

     -that corporate America is getting away with the claim there is a "talent" gap in key industries with jobs going wanting because employers can't find qualified employees.  All of this caused by a lack of training and education resulting in shortages in construction, manufacturing etc.  Companies have driven wages so low, and busted so many unions, they try to pay a skilled machinist, electrician, welder or pipefitter $10 an hour and wonder why no one takes them up on their offer.  The refusal of corporate America to pay decent wages, and the refusal of Americans to support unions, puts the bottom line ahead of the need for skilled labor and this will continue to exacerbate the problem and widens the income gap between the 1% and everyone else.

     -that CNN has eliminated its investigative journalism unit.

     -that the Justice department has not brought criminal charges against any of the banks engaged in manipulating LIBOR (London Interbank Offering Rate) or banks engaged in money laundering for drug cartels because of a fear of hurting the global financial markets while not caring a whit about all the families and communities wrecked by the overzealous prosecution of regular American citizens

     -that President Obama could agree to allow the export of natural gas.  Pressure is building on him from the oil and gas industries to export natural gas despite the reality such a policy would drive up the price of gas for domestic consumption and raise manufacturing and energy costs thus making America less competitive with manufacturing competition and killing the nascent movement of companies to bring manufacturing plants back to this country.

     -that several states controlled by Republican governors and legislatures are attempting to rig the Electoral College vote process to benefit a Republican presidential candidate.  After gerrymandering safe Republican congressional districts, they now want electoral votes determined by who wins individual congressional districts.

     -that one of the fastest growing sections of debt in this country is still student debt.  (why isn't college free?)

     -that the Forty Niners couldn't score from the 7-yard line and win the Super Bowl.  (Ok I’m still not over it yet)