Since 1968, Americans have been obediently conditioned like Pavlov’s mutts, salivating not at the sound of a bell, but at the sight of TSA gloves and metal detectors. The trigger? Fear. The trainers? Politicians, bureaucrats, and their obedient media lapdogs, who whipped up national paranoia and sold it as “safety.” And like good little subjects, the public bought it. This is the period when our courts carved out every possible exception to our Fourth Amendment.   Before this authoritarian makeover, only people entering prisons and jails were searched without a warrant. Today, your average law-abiding citizen can’t walk into a courthouse, city council meeting, or even an airport without being treated like a potential terrorist. Congratulations, America: you’re all inmates now, and every building is your warden. Fast-forward 57 years and we now live in a country where the absence of TSA gropers and rent-a-cops at doorways would terrify people. God forbid you walk into a public bui...

Phoenix, AZ —When I began lobbying the Arizona State Legislature for the Arizona Association of Licensed Private Investigators it was a real eye opener. There are 90 members of the Legislature and back then they were not yet subject to term limits.   Many of them were seemingly decent. The self-elected leadership had the real power and they were difficult to talk to about the legislation that was with beneficial or damaging to the industry, taxpayers or both. Along with the power of leadership came magnificent arrogance. There was a price for even minimal meaningful access.    Without campaign contributions or other payments there was no access to the leadership.   Access to the unwashed members was usually free but in general getting any significant help from them was also for sale. There was an undercover law enforcement sting conducted in 1991 called AZSCAM .   It was named after the notorious FBI sting call ABSCAM .    The late Ar...