When I was working on proposals in DC, I had to go through the process of getting a clearance to work on the contracts. Took forever to fill out the forms listing every address I'd lived at including the dates and length of time, phone numbers, neighbors, jobs, former bosses, etc. Even in my early 30s, there was a lot of detail. I had jobs as a teenager working for companies that didn't even exist anymore, nor could I remember the names of the people I worked for. They went out and interviewed people/neighbors who knew me, went to my high school, contacted employers, friends, etc. They asked questions like, "Is she territorial? In other words, does she get upset if someone takes a parking place in front of her house?" They even asked one person if they knew my sexual preferences.
I don't know what would be worse - getting vetted now by every would-be reporter or the Secret Service. At least the Secret Service keeps the information confidential and doesn't release it to the public. |
