The young Libertarian snitch Snowden who exposed another supposed NSA/Obama administration failing has just fueled another hoax. While there is a specimen slide of suspicion in all of these Teapublican trial balloon hoaxes, nothing they have raised
equals the Watergate caliber.
I retrospect I am not so sure the actual Watergate Scandal itself was as bad as the hype. Nixon never really had a chance by his own hand. So yes, he should have been put out of office. But what goes on in stealth universally today makes Watergate, Disneyland.
There is a flaw in shared Libertarian/Tea Party near logic. They live by their constitution religion that has put us all in danger from foreign enemies who have no such contrived interference. And this brain-starved punk Snowden is even a hero to some mighty dumb Liberals. And he wants sanctuary in China; maybe to spy for them.
So labels dilute truth into ego battles; some of the best ideas I have ever stolen came from conservative friends who would talk above dogma and labels. That is the USA that I once knew.
There is a reason I wrote this op ed, to provide an opening for common sense reasoning and optimism that has been held hostage by the will of cults and other lobbied interests in these dark conflicted years. There are far too many false prophets.
Life on the fly and fickle, with all hopes languishing in dark corners, or peddled like snake oil is no way to run a country.
Joel Brandes says
I have known many liberals. A few are not hypocrits. While many slammed Bush and the patriot act, the few see a simalarity, if not an expansion, in NSA’s mining of data. It seems liberals are yet to learn the law of unintended consequences. Liberals and Conservatives (even tea party people) can agree on the need to fight terrorists, but is a vast data base of all Americans is the best way to do it? The temptation to deviate from the stated purpose might be more than a partisan, with access, can stand.
It seems, to me, a data base with only foriegn connections is what the FISA court intended. What better example of abuse do we have than the AG targeting reporters or the IRS using its power against opponents of the administration? I would like to see some safeguards built into the use of this data base that are outside the realm of partisan politics.
Keith Thompson says
Just a stray thought…if our War On Terrorism is meant to protect American freedom against those who want to do harm against America because of our freedom; then if Americans give up some of our freedom as a result, haven’t the terrorists effectively won the war?
Fred Patt says
Keith, you have just described the Patriot Act perfectly.
Steve Payne says
I agree!!
Gren Whitman says
For most of my life, the government was anti-communist.
Since 9/11, the government has morphed into anti-terrorist.
The more things change, the more they stay the same, only lots more expensive!
Joel Brandes says
It would seem that every nation must have an enemy in order to divert attention from its own failures.
Stephan Sonn says
Oh Keith, they just want us dead along with our culture. They don’t reason in abstract ideals like freedom. They just hate, as many of our so-called patriots do here. Two years ago the term American Taleban was formed by one of the Liberal camps and it continues to stick. You give far to much credit to idiots of ill will and and lesser thoughts.
Keith Thompson says
So by your line of reasoning, we’re justified in going to war with an ideology? This line of thinking certainly explains why the IRS would target followers of a particular ideology. A nation that values freedom doesn’t prosecute a terrorist because of that person’s ideology; they prosecute the terrorist because they have committed an act of terrorism. If we’re at war with an ideology, then you’re giving carte blanche for the majority to violate the rights of a minority. It’s a nice idea if you’re the dictator or one of the dictator’s followers.
Stephan Sonn says
So you treat terrorism as crime as usual.
After the fact.
Keith Thompson says
Stephan, so would you be changing your tune if the dreaded Tea Party gains control of the White House and Congress and begins targeting liberals like yourself? It’s much like today’s conservatives who are now calling for the repeal of the Patriot Act now that Obama is in office when they were only too happy to support this when Bush was in the White House. Be careful what you wish for. Perhaps this is why you’re so afraid and people are only willing to give up their rights out of fear.
Stephan Sonn says
This is rough stuff but I stand by it’
Libertarians are conspicuous Monday morning quarterbacks, all
Same goes for Tea party. That is their job as Koch created them.
They do not build a thing but they think
that tearing down is the same thing.
Libertarians do not serve security or military efforts well except by exception.
Edward Snowdon proves all that by his media contrived dog and pony show
In the Revolutionary War they were more anti Tory than pro American union
England interfered with the local gentry and their pursuit of their own particular
happiness and they could care less about the indentured servants or slaves that did the work.
Libertarians should not be persecuted, but avoided in serious matters, like the Tea Party anarchists.
who are American Teleban. As for those few that insert themselves at colleges, it is all posturing.
something Ayn Rand popularized, until she was so poor and sick she applied to federal medical assistance.
And that is my free opinion and choice, which does not require your critique, approval or dogma calls.
Stephan Sonn says
Gren,
When vested interests have something bogymen are always handy.
Obama is realistic. That is why there are watchdogs.
The problem is the innate vice in the process itself however it is needed.
There is not going to be a utopia so I will settle for a buffer.
Most of the thing in our body politic that we cherish are only
recently lifted from the abstract and are new to the corporal world
and they re too fragile to stand alone despite our adoration
The enemies of freedom are often impostors in its, temple.
Steve Payne says
This is over 3 years old but the Post keeps it updated:
https://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/
Michael V Johnson says
Seems to me there is not much difference between the supposed Socialist Obama’s policies and the fascist Bush’s. Maybe they both represent the same interest i.e. the richest 2 %, and the great polarization is only theater used to manipulate the masses into thinking they have a choice. Maybe if voting really made a difference, it would be illegal too ! Oh the Supreme Court just made that a reality for some people didn’t they ?