Monday, June 24, 2013

Where's Snowden?

That's the question, it seems. Is Edward Snowden in Hong Kong? Guess not. Is he is Moscow? Seems so. Where is he headed? Hard to say. Is he headed for Ecuador? Maybe.

You know what? I don't care where he is. I'm still far more interested in what he and his handlers are going to reveal about the NSA program.  That's still the story here.

12 comments:

3john2 said...

He and Carmen San Diego, they've got a thing, going on.

Anonymous said...

I'm still far more interested in what he and his handlers are going to reveal about the NSA program. That's still the story here.


Mark,
as far as I can tell, he has yet to reveal one single thing about the NSA we didn't or shouldn't have already known. If you think I am wrong about this, please let me know what I missed. The only thing he has revealed to me is a lot about his character. And none of that has been good. He is an attention whore with a martyr's complex. And I am guessing that he is a far-left libretarian, which is a great source of amuusement to me when I watch so many on the Right lionizing this clown. I expect this from the Occupy Wall Street types, but it's darn right laughable coming from people who support torture as a viable and morally acceptable means of information extraction. But I digress.

So Snowden has revealed that the NSA does data-mining, that private companies provide a great deal of the data that is mined, and that the U.S. spys on Russia, China, and many other nations. Duh! Duh! And, duh! As soon as he tells me something I didn't know 12 years ago, I will let you know. What did people think was gooing to happen when we passed the ridiculous "Patriot Act"? The FISA courts had never said no once to a request for a wire tap, betweeen the creation of those courts in 1978 and the vast expansion of FISA powers in the Patriot Act. Did anyone seriously think the Patriot Act was gonna help the FISA courts grow a pair?

I really don't understand the sudden outrage. It's been present with me since 2001, but why are so many people suddenly freaked out? I don't get it.

If Snowden's actions accomplish anything good, and I have real doubts that they will, it will be that they launch an actual productive dialogue about our privacy vs. our security, and setting boundaries around that. But I doubt very much that we, as a people, are going to be capable of such a dialogue. Let's hope I am wrong.

Regards,
Rich

W.B. Picklesworth said...

I really don't understand the sudden outrage. It's been present with me since 2001, but why are so many people suddenly freaked out? I don't get it.

Rich, I think that it has to do with the IRS, the CBS reporter, James Rosen, the AP, Benghazi. Any of these things by themselves might not strike people like a lightning bolt. Taken together they look an awful lot like this administration is interested in abusing its power. And that's why the NSA thing resonates.

Mr. D said...

I really don't understand the sudden outrage. It's been present with me since 2001, but why are so many people suddenly freaked out? I don't get it.

Personally, I've had misgivings about the Patriot Act from the outset. I didn't have a blog in 2001 (very few people did), but if I had, I would have expressed those misgivings. I always assumed that the day would come that people who I oppose politically would return to power and I also assumed that it wouldn't be a good thing for them to have the power that the Patriot Act provides.

Those of us on the starboard side of the political spectrum have had to look hard at our assumptions in recent years. You will too, some day. That's all I'm going to say for now.

Bike Bubba said...

My take is similar to Mr. D.'s, but with the additional note that if you're opposed to government violating its limits and the implicit right to privacy, it's a bit odd to decide to do so in Russia, China, and Cuba. I am assuming that Vietnam is next on his list for the world tour, followed by Berkeley, Palo Alto, Boulder, or Madison.

Anonymous said...

Those of us on the starboard side of the political spectrum have had to look hard at our assumptions in recent years. You will too, some day.

Mark,
I've never assumed that signing away basic freedoms was a good idea. It doesn't matter who is in power. My "some day" came a long time ago, so I am not really sure what you mean by that. Do you think a Republican worse than Dubya might come along some day soon?

Regards,
Rich

Mr. D said...

My "some day" came a long time ago, so I am not really sure what you mean by that.

I suppose you don't.



Brian said...

The reason Snowden is (likely) seeking refuge in countries less likely to extradite to the US can be summed up in two words: Bradley Manning.

I don't blame him in the slightest. I could also think of worse places to hole up than Vietnam.

Bike Bubba said...

Brian; agreed on why he went there. I just think his choice of refuge calls his motivations into question.

Brian said...

His motivation is to not be extradited to the U.S. Not many options there...

3john2 said...

He had a short list of countries willing to stick a finger in the eye of the U.S. and not risk getting droned. It's a risky business having something of value in your possession and no embassy to call. Getting into Russia is one thing. Getting out again is another.

Mr. D said...

His motivation is to not be extradited to the U.S. Not many options there...

He seems to have identified the viable ones. That much is certain.