By now it is no secret: you have no privacy.

Your government is actively working to collect and record every email you write, every message you send and every one of your Internet searches.

From the complete surveillance of the Internet to the dawn of surveillance drones watching us overhead, the federal government has found its way into every facet of American life. On Oct. 1st, the federal government will take its next giant step in increasing its size and influence and dictating how you live your life – and knowing what you do with it.

Obamacare, which launches at the start of October, was conceived as the solution to America’s broken health care system, an industry that without a doubt does need fixing.

In reality, what Obamacare does is grow the federal government by introducing trillions of dollars in additional spending (by a government that cannot afford it) in an economy that remains on the brink.

We are already seeing the effects this policy will have on the economy, with small businesses being harmed by Obamacare regulations and restrictions, and the subsequent job losses from the workers they are being forced to let go.

But the fact remains: Obamacare is bigger than all of that.

We already know that American law enforcement and intelligence agencies like the National Security Agency have the power to access your medical records without a warrant. Under Obamacare, the ever-intrusive federal government increases their influence by having a hand in what is done with this information and influencing what your medical options are.

Unless you are reverent of your individual rights, your right to privacy and your freedom in general (you know, as protected by our Constitution and all that stuff), then this probably doesn’t bother you in the slightest.

It’s not like the government can or would use any of their new powers against you, right?

The specific organization in charge of implementing significant portions of Obamacare is none other than the Internal Revenue Service. They made headlines earlier this year by using their financial powers to target specific political groups – groups that are reverent of individual rights and small government.

Who is to say that the IRS or other federal agencies involved in implementing Obamacare will not do the same with their newly anointed powers?

With more and more revelations about the abuse of government powers making headlines, it is becoming increasingly difficult to simply dismiss these possibilities.

This is the nature of government, and has been throughout history. Governments seize any opportunity they can to expand their size and power, whether the opportunity arises from a societal, economic issue or tragedy.

Obamacare, as a law, does not allow the government to have complete control over your health and how you maintain it. But if the revelations of Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning have taught us anything, it’s that you can rely on the government to operate above the law and abuse the powers they have given themselves.

The United States of America has established itself as one of the greatest nations in the world. It has remained so for centuries because our forefathers created a Constitution and Bill of Rights to keep the government in check and protect the American people from the abuse of power.

The government is not, and cannot be, above the law. It is up to the American people to hold it accountable.

And as we continue allowing the federal government to grant itself more powers over us, we must tread lightly. It is a very slippery slope.

Nick Smith is a senior broadcast and digital journalism major. His column appears weekly. He can been reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter at @Nick_X_Smith.

Published on August 26, 2013 at 1:00 am