CONCORD, N.H. — Does anyone know what they’re talking about when it comes to these weird ideas of “databases” of various groups of people in the U.S.?
Listen to Donald Trump on his apparent Muslim database idea. Sometimes he seems to be talking about all Muslims. Sometimes he seems to be talking about all immigrants. Maybe he’s talking about Muslim immigrants? And what is in this “database”? On Twitter, today, Trump seemed to walk away from the idea, writing, “I didn’t suggest a database-a reporter did.”
Also, check out some of the questions and answers with Ben Carson on various databases. Below I’m posting the back-and-forth as reported by the Washington Post’s Dave Weigel. If you read it, it’s hard to imagine any reporters or either of these candidates have any specific idea in mind when they use the word “database.”
The IRS has a database of some sort with all U.S. taxpayers. Can the U.S. government list every citizen? Maybe. How about everyone in the country on a visa? Are these contained in a “database” of some sort? If so, is anyone upset by it?
Expect a lot of freakouts and debate over “databases” without anyone — reporters, commentators, or candidates — explaining what they mean by the word. There will be much more ink spilt on this, and very little light shed.
Here’s Weigel’s description of Carson’s press gaggle in Concord today:
“I hope that we have a database on everybody! If we don’t have a database on every foreigner who comes into the country, we’re being negligent. I want us to be able to know who they are; I want us to know where they came from; I want us to know where they’re going and why they’re here.”
“That’s already being done,” interjected the reporter.
Carson replied, “If you want to add more things to that, we can talk about it, and what the rationale is.”
Another reporter tried to land the question. Was Carson talking about adding American citizens to the database?
“American citizens?” he asked. “There already is a database.”
“You’re talking about a more complex database,” said the reporter.
“No, I’m not talking about anything,” said Carson.
“The database you’re describing is already in place,” said the reporter.
“And that’s what I’m saying,” said Carson.
Timothy P. Carney, The Washington Examiner’s senior political columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]. His column appears Tuesday and Thursday nights on washingtonexaminer.com.
