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Look out. An "army of contact tracers" is about to be unleashed on America. Corporations, political lobbyists and government bureaucracies all win. Privacy, freedom and family autonomy all lose. Big time.
You may have already heard of the aptly named House Bill 6666, sponsored by Illinois Dem. Bobby Rush. Known as the Testing, Reaching and Contacting Everyone (TRACE) Act, the legislation would allocate $100 billion in public funding to "eligible entities" to "conduct diagnostic testing for COVID-19, and related activities such as contact tracing, through mobile health units and, as necessary, at individuals' residences, and for other purposes." The cash could be used to hunt down infected individuals, quarantine them in their homes for undefined periods under unknown conditions and subsidize a hiring spree of untold thousands of trackers from nonprofits, schools and medical facilities.
As for "other purposes," the proposal does not define them -- leaving Swamp public health bureaucrats and their pet grantees' imaginations to run wild. What recourse or appeals process to citizens have when the "experts" get diagnoses and assessments wrong? Or when, say, homeschool families refuse to submit to intrusive phone call monitoring or forced quarantine? What are the opt-in or opt-out mechanisms? H.R. 6666 is silent on all these fundamental issues of autonomy and sovereignty. Feel safer yet?
This federally supported surveillance-state bonanza comes on top of the $631 million in Centers for Disease Control funding for contact tracing already in the pipeline after the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, plus another $75 billion in proposed contact-tracing spending embedded in the House Democrats' supplemental stimulus bill known as the HEROES Act.
Who benefits? Let's take one prominent entrant into the "digital transformation services" arena: a company called MTX. Founded in Albany, New York, and now based in Frisco, Texas, the small software company is raking in hundreds of millions of tax dollars to construct "virtual call centers" of 25,000 COVID data-mining agents. In Chicago, MTX has partnered with Google to create an app so residents can "pre-register" for the vaunted coronavirus vaccine and receive alerts on treatments and testing. In Georgia, the company nailed a five-year government contract for a new online contact-tracing platform. In New York and Massachusetts, MTX's mission has spread to monitoring jobless claims and child care facilities.
Lynn Davenport, a Texas public school mom and student privacy activist, reports that MTX is "also donating its newly launched tracking application to all public school districts in the U.S." Generous... or opportunist? As Davenport and other education technology watchdogs who have documented the proliferation of billions of dollars in invasive student data-mining schemes often remind us: "When it's free, YOU (and your children) are the product." Never forget: The price of "free" apps is access to your kids' search engine queries, website and video browsing, and undoubtedly just around the corner: their temperature, weight and mental health.
Contact tracing makes sense for some types of infectious disease epidemics. But with something as widespread as COVID-19, with possibly hundreds of millions of asymptomatic people, it amounts to yet another cost-ineffective, virtue-signaling boondoggle.
Sure, they tell us our privacy is guaranteed. Medical privacy is sacrosanct in America, right? But did you know that the U.S. Health and Human Services has quietly relaxed Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act data security and privacy requirements for pandemic testing sites, which will allow Big Pharma interests and other business interests to access previously protected personal health information?
Nothing to see here; move along.
If you do try to see and know more, good luck. Houston Chronicle reporters tried to shed sunlight on MTX's deal with top Texas GOP officials and were lucky to obtain a heavily redacted copy of the company's $295 million contract (paid with your money and mine). You know that creepy phrase "Operation Warp Speed" being used to ram a COVID vaccine through expedited, short-circuited clinical trials? Well, the same phrase applies to the adoption of these high-stakes contracts. Both anti-establishment Republicans and Trump-skeptical Democrats in Texas have raised red flags about the failure by Gov. Greg Abbott to provide advance notice to the state legislature of the enormous deal. The state took a hasty two days to approve MTX's proposal after putting the project out for bid. The scheme was rolled out in just a little over two weeks.
Who greased the wheels? Follow the money, of course. The Houston Chronicle revealed that "The deal appears to have been put together within just a few days... MTX hired Austin-based lobbyists Andrea and Dean McWilliams for up to $50,000 each, according to public disclosure documents." The McWilliamses are the Matt and Mercedes Schlapp of Texas -- consummate insiders and six-figure Bush bundlers looking out for their corporate clients over our constitutional rights and medical freedom. Not coincidentally, MTX reflects the "America last" values of the open borders Bush empire. The firm runs a "development center" out of offshore outsourcing hub Hyderabad, India, and CEO Das Nobel aspires to lead a "diverse" "billion-dollar-company" from which he hopes to "advance our culture initiatives."
Where's our protection from the globalism virus?
Michelle Malkin's email address is MichelleMalkinInvestigates@protonmail.com. To find out more about Michelle Malkin and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

December 25, 1943 ~ June 1, 2020

ABBEVILLE — Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church honoring the life of Elizabeth Faye Fontenot Dardeau, 76, who died Monday, June 1, 2020 at Eastridge Assisted Living Center. She will be laid to rest at St. Paul Cemetery with Reverend Louis Richard officiating the services.
Elizabeth is survived by her husband, James L. Dardeau; two sons, Chris Dardeau and his wife Anne, and Paul Dardeau and his wife Michelle; two daughters, Michelle LaPorte and Denise Muller and her husband Rich; nine grandchildren, Lauren LaPorte Hebert and her husband Jake, Mark LaPorte and his wife Taylor, Jonathon Dardeau, Madeline Dardeau, Anna Dardeau, William Dardeau, John-Louis Muller, Elizabeth Muller, and Jake Muller; two great grandchildren, Andrew Hebert and Audrey Hebert; one sister, Wanda Buckley and her husband Mike; and one brother, Mike Fontenot and his wife Ellen.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold Fontenot and the former Mary Soileau; and son-in-law, Todd LaPorte.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, 300 Pere Megret St., Abbeville on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 from 9:00 AM until time of services.
The Dardeau family would like to express their gratitude to Jacqueline “Renee” Taylor, Jasmine Taylor and all her caregivers for giving so much of their selves to provide the care and attention our mother needed.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Elizabeth Fontenot Dardeau’s memory to Vermilion Catholic High School, 425 Park Ave., Abbeville, LA 70510 or Mount Carmel Elementary, 405 Park Ave., Abbeville, LA 70510.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

The Abbeville Rotary Club recently presented one of their Annual Public Servant Awards to Deputy Chad Touchet of the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Each year the Sheriff’s Office is asked to nominate someone with their department who has shown service that has gone above and beyond the call of duty.
Sheriff Mike Couvillon stated, “I want to thank the Abbeville Rotary Club for presenting this award each year. Having to choose only one deputy for this type of award is always difficult because all of our deputies took the oath to protect and serve and I believe they all work very hard. However, this type of award represents those who go beyond the call of duty to keep our parish safe.
“This year, my committee recommended Deputy Chad Touchet for this award due to his daily demonstration of professionalism, his willingness to always take that extra step in his normal everyday service to the Parish, and perhaps the most important reason; his years of service to our country. I concur with my committee's recommendation for this year’s "Deputy of The Year Award " and I congratulate Deputy Touchet.”
Deputy Chad Touchet is 43 years old and was raised in Forked Island and is a graduate of Kaplan High School, class of 1994. In July 1994, Chad entered the U.S. Army as an Infantryman and attended Basic Training at Fort Benning, Georgia.
While serving in the Army for more than 22 years, he has held a variety of positions throughout his career ranging from Rifleman, Team Leader, Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant, and Company First Sergeant where he was in charge of more than 140 Soldiers in both peacetime and combat operations.
During his service to the nation, he has been stationed in the United States and various places throughout the world and served for more than 4 years in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
For his service in both combat and peacetime, Chad is the recipient of 3 Bronze Star Medals, 3 Meritorious Service Medals, 4 Army Commendation Medals, 3 Army Achievement Medals, the Iraqi Campaign Medal with 7 Campaign Stars, the Expert Infantryman's Badge, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, and 15 other various service awards and decorations.
In 2016 while stationed in Ohio, Chad retired from the U.S. Army and immediately pursued his desire to serve, by becoming a Law Enforcement Officer. He was quickly hired by the Ohio University Police Department in Athens, Ohio and immediately stood out amongst his peers. Chad is most proud of his accomplishments in the two years of service at the Police Department where his aggressive enforcement of the state drug laws resulted in more than 90 various drug related arrests.
Chad decided it was time return home to Vermilion Parish where he applied for a position as a Patrol Deputy and was hired on by Sheriff Mike Couvillon in October 2018. After successfully completing the St. Martin Sheriff's Office Basic Academy, and the Field Training Program, Deputy Touchet was assigned as a full time patrol deputy for Vermilion Parish.
In October 2019, Deputy Touchet was selected as a member of the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office Special Response Team (SRT) after completing a rigorous selection and screening process. Deputy Touchet attended SWAT and Sniper Training Courses and is currently assigned as the Team Sniper.
In February 2019, Deputy Touchet was also selected to serve as a Field Training Officer for the Sheriff's Office where he will be responsible to train new Deputies selected to work in the Patrol Division.
Chad is married to Jetsy Touchet where they reside in Maurice with their three children, 21 year old Christian who attends South Louisiana Community College, 16 year old Mia who attends North Vermilion High School, and their new baby Noah.

DELCAMBRE — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Mrs. Eliza B. Roy Nezey, the former, Eliza Broussard, 100, at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, May 30, 2020, at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church with Fr. Buddy Breaux as the Celebrant..
A visitation will be held at the church on Saturday 8:00 A.M. until the time of the funeral mass with a rosary to be recited at 9:00 A.M.
Entombment will be in the Mausoleum of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Cemetery in Delcambre, LA.
A resident of Abbeville, LA she passed at 8:01 P.M. on Sunday, May 24, 2020, at her residence.
Eliza was a member of St. Martin dePorres Catholic Church in Delcambre, LA where she was a member of the Rosary Society.
She leaves to cherish her memory, four sons, Joseph F. Roy of Delcambre, LA, John Roy (Birdie) of Baytown, TX, Albert Roy (Ruth) of Delcambre, LA and Peter N. Roy, Sr. (Carolyn) of Abbeville, LA; four daughters, Iona Roy of Port Arthur, TX, Mary Dozier Campbell, Viola Gilbert (Nolan) and Irma Marie Roy (Daniel) of Delcambre, LA; a grandchild that she loved and reared as her own, Peter N. Roy, II of Erath, LA; one brother, Avery Broussard of Lafayette, LA, 37 grandchildren, 62 great grandchildren, 58 great-great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Voris Nezey; parents, Joseph Broussard and Louise Boyance Broussard; five brothers, Edwin Broussard, Olias Broussard, Dominic Broussard, Caesar Broussard and Leonce Broussard and five sisters, Ida Francis, Elizabeth Broussard, Nama Robinson, Louise Comeaux and Yvonne Broussard.
Condolences may be expressed at www.fletcherfuneralhomes.org
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Fletcher Funeral Home (337-369-3341) 609 West Admiral Doyle Drive, New Iberia, LA 70560.