NSA whistleblower: Edward Snowden, 29

[Football_Bat]

I just recall how much Assange was celebrated for revealing so much stuff on the Bush administration. Yet we're not hearing a peep about this from the US media.

As has been pointed out by others, it's a disgrace to the profession in this country how much of the criminal activity by the current administration is being broken by foreign media outlets.

It would help to get the timeline right. Assange didn't begin publishing the Manning cables until 2010.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Idiot Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson said on Bill Bennett's radio show this morning that all Americans should distrust the government at all levels. And that Snowden should have taken his information to Congressmen who shared his viewpoints, rather than given it to the media.

 

[Bob Cook]

Does Johnson mean Rand Paul? Because otherwise Congress has shown a lot of fealty to everything that's done by the executive branch in the name of fighting terrorism. The last damn place I would take any concerns about this stuff is to Congress. Even the most Obama-hating Congressperson isn't going to suddenly start holding Issa-style hearings about this because, first, all they're going to hear is that this is exactly what Congress has authorized (multiple times), and a lot of people are going to have to reverse their hard-ass-on-terrorism rhetoric in the name of fighting Obama, a risky move considering that I see no indications that Americans in the main are too worried about going too far on this stuff.

In some way, that what this has in common with all the various scandals or "scandals" that have come out of government and big business in recent years. It's not that anyone did anything illegal. It's that the system worked exactly as designed.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I just recall how much Assange was celebrated for revealing so much stuff on the Bush administration. Yet we're not hearing a peep about this from the US media.

As has been pointed out by others, it's a disgrace to the profession in this country how much of the criminal activity by the current administration is being broken by foreign media outlets.

It would help to get the timeline right. Assange didn't begin publishing the Manning cables until 2010.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak

I'm aware of the timeline. Doesn't change my point.

 

[BenPoquette]

For those who are arguing about the performance of the American press with these scandals...how many "scandals" have been broken by an American media source? Benghazi, the IRS, the AP survellience and the data mining? Name one American media source that broke any one of these stories.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Does Johnson mean Rand Paul? Because otherwise Congress has shown a lot of fealty to everything that's done by the executive branch in the name of fighting terrorism. The last damn place I would take any concerns about this stuff is to Congress. Even the most Obama-hating Congressperson isn't going to suddenly start holding Issa-style hearings about this because, first, all they're going to hear is that this is exactly what Congress has authorized (multiple times), and a lot of people are going to have to reverse their hard-ass-on-terrorism rhetoric in the name of fighting Obama, a risky move considering that I see no indications that Americans in the main are too worried about going too far on this stuff.

In some way, that what this has in common with all the various scandals or "scandals" that have come out of government and big business in recent years. It's not that anyone did anything illegal. It's that the system worked exactly as designed.

There was one name I remember being brought up. Rand Paul's name was not mentioned. I just find it humorous that he says no one should trust the government -- unless you're a whistleblower with these secrets, then you should run to Congress and let them know.

 

[Greenhorn]

It appears as though Snowden is a Ron Paul supporter.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/06/10/edward-snowden-apparently-a-ron-paul-supporter/

 

[Boom_70]

Many liberals have always viewed Mark Felt ( Deep Throat) and Daniel Ellsberg ( Pentagon Papers) as a heroes. In same light you would think that they would view Ed Snowden as a hero as well.

 

[Bob Cook]

David Simon, of "The Wire" fame, had a good piece in which he put forth a well-reasoned argument why the government harvesting phone-number traffic is no big deal. In his follow-up, he notes that one point raised by others has changed his mind -- something needs to be done to protect email and electronic communications in the same way phone is protected. The funniest part comes at the end, regarding who was one of the people most vociferously arguing against his point.

http://davidsimon.com/nsa-and-fisa-commentary-calling-it/

 

[Bob Cook]

Many liberals have always viewed Mark Felt ( Deep Throat) and Daniel Ellsberg ( Pentagon Papers) as a heroes. In same light you would think that they would view Ed Snowden as a hero as well.

He is, in that it's about damn time we have a open discussion of how we fight terrorism, and how that affects our own freedom, that isn't part of a panic over recent events. Maybe it's really not a big deal that NSA tracks call patterns, without listening in every call. But the process is hidden, it always makes you wonder why no one wants it brought to light.

 

[Greenhorn]

Many right-wingers have always viewed Mark Felt ( Deep Throat) and Daniel Ellsberg ( Pentagon Papers) as villains. In same light you would think that they would view Ed Snowden as a villain as well.

 

[Boom_70]

For those who are arguing about the performance of the American press with these scandals...how many "scandals" have been broken by an American media source? Benghazi, the IRS, the AP survellience and the data mining? Name one American media source that broke any one of these stories.

Last big story broke by American Media were The alleged Bush Whitehouse abuses of Patriot Act. I believe that in 2005.

I am starting to wonder if The Whitehouse knew this was coming and decided to dump
all the other stories out prior with the thinking that it would clear the deck and overwhelm the media and public. Certainly risky strategy but one that could payoff if the public gets a case of scandal fatigue.