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It is truly hard for me to imagine how you can screw up something as simple as voting. One person one vote.
Here in Canada we have to provide proof that you have the right to vote and your place of residence and you vote. I blows my mind how this can get screwed up. I admire those of you who fight for equal voting rights. Keep up the good work.
Hello again KEND, Special Agent Uncle Sam here with good news...It isn't your kids that we are targeting...its a couple of their friends that we are interested in. It seems that one of them used your daughters computer and phone. That being said I regret to inform you that we cannot guarentee your childrens saftey, they will more than likely end up as Collateral Damage. I know it's a damn shame to snuff out innocent lives, but that's the price of security...Right Kend!?!?No matter how hard we try we can't gurantee anything not even the secracey of the evidence we gather. But hey maybe that's better...You know what I mean??? Besides since your kids were hanging out with the alleged enemy they would have probable gotten more involved. So look at it as a two for one!!!
Peace xoxo
Hello KEND, This is secret agent Uncle Sam with the CIA...We are happy to hear that you are on board with a "by any means necessary" approach to National and Corporate Security. This makes our job much easier to inform you that over the past several months we have gathered information (personal phone calls, texts, and emails) that your children have made and sent. We have come to a hastey conclusion that your children are a threat to the U.S. and they need to be nutralized.
Remember KEND in your words..."If it saves one life its good enough for me" However, we at the CIA can't gurantee that "innocent" lives will be spared...We are never 100% sure of our decisions and Collateral Damage is a bitch, but it's just part of the "game".
CHEERS!!!
Do I see ALEC lurking in the background there? No legislation will get past a House filibuster and the Supremes think their fingerprints won't be all over another unleashing of the powerful just like 'Citizens United'. Democracy has few foes more formidable than the reich-wing of the current Supreme Court!
I have to admit that I remain highly conflicted about this whole affair. I do find it laughable that the US government would demand that China and Russia hand over the man who revealed our spying against those very countries (and everyone else). There's no small amount of chutzpah in that move.
I also have serious problems with the surveillance state that the US has assembled in the name of security. One wonders who keeps us secure from the security state. In principle, I am opposed to this whole endeavor. I see it as a fundamental threat to a free democratic state.
On the other hand, I recognize that the Cold War lens which I grew up laboring under no longer applies to today's world. There is a part of me that wonders what kinds of non-governmental attacks can be avoided with good intelligence. In such cases, it is difficult to argue that this is a bad thing or that the price is too high. How much freedom from surveillance would the prevention of the Boston Marathon bombings have been worth? Perhaps the freedom from attack is ultimately as valuable as a constrained right to privacy. Hard to say.
But I do not necessarily see Snowden as a hero. If he is as principled as he would have us believe, he might well have been a somewhat naive, somewhat delusional would-be martyr serving a greater cause. But that's an awful lot of hoops to jump through to get to hero. I see an awful lot of naivete and an almost anti-social solipisism in this kid's behavior. His history of interactions with social institutions suggests he's had a chip on shoulder for a long time. I do find it alarming that a company contracted to conduct national security work would hire someone like this. Technological brilliiance alone does not overcome defects in judgment and lack of maturity.
This is a case that defies quick or easy answers. Einstein said all things should be seen as simply as possible but no more so. Beyond simple lies simplistic.
What we have here is an ad hominem. How about attacking Kend's position but not his person? Something like, "there are a lot of folks still in Guantanamo that don't think the US justice system works very well and we have admitted they are and were innocent." (Response to post #6 by Kend)
You gotta be shitting me.. You sound like an idealistic child (please tell me thats a joke).. Like a totalatarian regime, America seems to be counting up people fleeing our corporate fascist dictatorship.. Wrong or right obviously doesnt matter here..
I can't help drawing similarities between our government's outrage at any country that gives asylum to Snowden and the old Soviet Union's outrage at America for giving asylum to those who, by speaking out, outraged the Soviet government (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, etc.). I also wonder if those who want to hunt down Snowden have a reason to believe that the US government is so weak that disclosure of govt actiities would result in its collapse.
Perhaps Snowden got hold of something really, really damning of the powers that be in the US...something a lot more damning than that they are spying on us. After all, they have been spying on us for a long time through at least since the 90s (well before 9/11) using the Echelon program. Yes, the momentum of what is now called the Prism program is obviously much more advanced and ubiquitous.
Snowden ostensibly has a lot more to reveal and I understand he will do so periodically. Could it be that he became privy to the truth of 911...who really was behind it...and has cold hard evidence to prove it? Could it be that realizing just how corrupt and criminal, even massively traitorous, those powers are... Snowden is acting as a person with a conscience, a person who sees himself as a loyal American willing to sacrifice his well-being for the greater good of all of us?
When you wake up and realize that tall steel skyscrapers don't fall at near free-fall speed unless the supporting structure is systematically destroyed, as in a demolition. You have to know that 911 was a very sinister, traitorous, and terrorist operation planned and orchestrated by inside powers and not by someone sitting in a cave in Afghanistan (which is where OBL was at the time). After all that has happened, all that you have seen happen over the last decade and more...massive criminal manipulation of our economy...deregulation...housing crises...torture programs...mass murder of innocent civilians...willingness to sacrifice thousands of our own soldiers in fighting a trumped-up criminal war based on lies...and, now, the realization that Big Brother is listening, reading, watching every thing you say and do...just how much is it going to take to make you all look very hard at what our country has become...one that will murder thousands of our own innocent civilians used as a false flag, on 9/11, to make us all very scared enough to give up every last bit of our being. Be scared...be very scared...because the real terrorists are in control of our very being. Sieg Heil!
I wouldn't be surprised if the US government would shoot down an airline full of people if they thought Snowden was on board.
Michael Hastings? Yes, very fishy! I wonder what it was that he had on the government?
DRIVERNORTH...You really "believe" Reagan came up with that himself???Reagan was nothing more than another conservative white bigot puppet that other White Corporate bigots liked!
Those bigotted bafoons are still singing his praises...You just proved that!
What "things" - AHENSON - are people buying with food stamps that raises such question and concern?
My familey and I depended on food stamp for 4 years, and I have several friends that also depend on food stamps to supplement their families monthly food cost; however none of us really understand as to what all the social fuss is over what a person can buy with food stamps. You can't buy alcohol or tobacco...are people upset because they see $200 (full food assistance amount per month) in groceries that tax money is paying for? Two hundred dollars doesn't go far but for those in need of food assistance it is HUGE!
In order for a person to qualify for food stamps they first must prove that they make LESS than 1,100 per month gross. That's less than $15K gross per year. In my opinion if the governement refuses to double the minimum wage, then they need to raise the income ceiling qualification for food assistance to 2k per month gross.
As a nation we are in dire economic straights...This is not the time to do away with or make it harder for someone to qualify for Government assistance and social programs for those that are economically down trodden, (houseless, unemployed, hungry, ill).
Christian, Jew, Musilm, Man, Woman, young and old...Whatever; We ALL need to be more empathetic and forgiving...Practice compassion for our brothers and sisters who have come upon financlely difficult times.
All too often it is easier to judge and condem another person for being poor...not living up to the so called "social norms" like evreyone else.
I use to be very judging of others who didn't maintain a fulltime job and couldn't pay their own way through life. Then I myself fell on really bad economic times. First I lost my teaching job after 12 years (42K per year plus bennefits). No I wasn't rich but that salary combined with my wifes 20K from her part time cleaning buisness we were living...Food on the table, Roof over our head, Clothes on our backs, bills paid, and a two familey trips a year.
After I was let go we were okay financle for 4 months, but I wasn't finding a fulltime teaching job and quickly things got worse and eventually I had to just take "a" job, any job. So I took a parttime position (28hrs/wk) on a Landscape Crew making $11/hr. I had to sell my car and share one with my wife. One year after I was fired we found out that my 8 year old daughter had cancer...With no insurance we couldn't get her the treatments she needed and she passed away 11 months later.
I do not mean to sound like"Poor me"...Life is hard and it yields to nobody...I just don't undestand why so many that are financley fortunate and live an affluent life can be so obtuse and condeming of those less fortunate. Being poor is not a disease, more so it is an adversity that stems from a commercialized culture that no longer understands what a true long term investment really is.
Not only have we as a society become increasingly more hostle and violent, but our "by any means necessary" ideology speaks volumes of our capitalist mentality...Putting profit before the wellbeing of a person...In fact killing eachother.
I don't have a problem with someone whoes tax bracket is 9 zeros; in fact I wouldn't mind knowing what that is like. However, that being said; I would be just as happy if I could "earn" a livable wage...One that provides for the basic necessities...A job that pays an honest living wage for an honest days work.
I don't mind working...Infact I much prefer it...What I can't stand though is when I bust my ass all week and I go to the grocery store and buy a weeks worth of food with my food stamps and someone disapproves that I purchased a package of cookies and a 2 liter of soda - usually the someone is a redneck jackoff with a NRA & Romney sticker on his BIG 4X4 or some rich old skank that never worked a day in her life.
Regardless of the color of their skin, women are also mothers, and possibly most of these jurors are mother. They will feel the pain of the mother. I would worry if it were all white men, but not women. Sorry guys, but that's my take.
I'm willing to bet that before his death, Bin Laden was well aware and happy to know his actions on 9/11 helped tear apart our IV Amendment via the Patriot Act. I'm also willing to bet that with the realization of billions in wasteful out of control spending to be had, the privatized military industrial spy complex must have rejoiced with him. How do we sort out the enemy here.....spending leading to a, Soviet Union like economic collapse, or a fanatic reveling about being the cause of it?
In my opinion Snowden is fighting back by calling attention to this attack on our civil liberties, the wasteful spending, and the victory it has given Bin Laden. Our Founders would have done the same.
How about using drones to spy on the rate of Polar Cap ice melt?
Kend ~ If China, Russia, and N. Korea want to listen to anything I say or write illegally, I have recourse. I can get my government to threaten to declare war on them for doing so as a breach of my civil rights. If my own government does it what can I do? I can't insist my own government declare war on itself, can I? We must draw a line in the sand for our own National Security; and, that line is called the US Constitution.
Well, Well, Well! The very people who entrusted Edward Snowden to outsmart the American people have been outsmarted by Edward Snowden. Who'da thunk it? Who better qualified?
Edward Snowden is an international hero. Obviously others in the anti-establishment tru-Intelligence community are offering him support. Rightfully so! Bravo! I hope he blows the top off of this scandalous assault on our Constitution. Not since George Washington has a braver American stood up and said his peace. God Bless, Edward Snowden!
No Kend! Your head isn't in the sand. Its in a much darker and bad smelling place. And, no, you are not alone!
Across the country, DAs, Prosecutors, Cops and mainstream media implore us to snitch on individual wrongdoers, and petty and even serious criminals....even if the suspects are neighbors, friends, or family.
But, when it comes to Corporate or Government crimes or misdeeds, the Edward Snowdens and others are not praised and rewarded for coming foreward to expose wrong-doing, or crime-doing. They are criminalized instead.
Can we get a list of which crimes one may snitch on, and which ones not?
The Obama administration comes off as no better than a street gang intimidating anyone who'd testify against them. That's highly illegal if the street thugs do it, but somehow not if Corporate-Government thugs do it.
Do all of you seriously believe that everything you say on your phones and type on the Internet is private and confidential? Do you know the Chinese, Russia Or North Korea are listening and reading everything you say. Even worst companies are trending everything you do, everything you google, everything you purchase with your credit cards, your flights, the stocks you buy, etc, etc, etc.
And I am the one with my head in the sand. Wow wake up.
Obama and the rest of his fellow puppets sure look stupid. Imagine having to grovel for the arrest of someone who exposed the US for the fraud that it is. Obama is a plant and EVERY politician that voted for the "Patriot Act" joke should be tarred and feathered.
Start with Feinstien and Pelosi.
DemocRATs.
You simply cannot rust any democRAT or republiCON. Both parties are filled closet Nazis.
Snowden and Manning should both recieve the Nobel Peace Prize and Obama should wind up with Bush and Cheney at the Hague on trial for war crimes.
I personally think Snowden has more balls than all of congress put together.. I say YES to revealing the truth and telling it like it is. Good job Snowden!! What is unjust is our political system run amok! Snowden should be awarded the congressional medal of honor for having the courage to stand up for what is right and just and telling it like it is.
There is blatant manipulation of the interviews Edward Snowden has given. RTtv shows an interview and then I see it again on an American news channel with editing to contrive his statements as untrue by leaving out the last part of his answer.
Here in New Zealand there is a move to change our security laws and the opposition to those changes covered quite well, then a short segment of an American military official stressing that Edward Snowden has hurt America and her allies. Edward Snowden has exposed illegal behavior within his government it is they, The American Government who have put their country in a place where it can be hurt.
Right: That's what we are: Brazen, gutless bullies. Who talk about all those terrorists out there that we can't create fast enough. Can the intelligence community be that stupid, or are they just spawns of the devil? Someone needs to take them out--permanently--and save the world a lot of continuing misery. My guess is that if we really had access to all their secrets about all we would learn is that they've been spending a lot of our taxpayer dollars fornicating.
Are you serious? Our government is so corrupt that right and wrong has been totally eclipsed in favor of weak and strong. A confrontation between Snowden and the justice system in America will produce not only nothing fair, but probably a lot of mayhem a la Guantanamo as payback for the embarassment. What I would like to see is the American people finally getting together and under the rule of law arresting some of the criminals and perverts who are now, and have in the recent past been, running this country.
That's a stupid idea. With the way this fascist gov't is treating whistleblowers and the murder of Michael Hastings last week, what person in their right mind would trust this government? You think their word is good? If you do, get help with every decision you make, because obviously you are incapable.
Drinking the establishment KoolAid Kend?
If you really think the American "justice" system is about "justice" try searching for the Norfolk Four. The "justice" system is designed and intended to protect the interests of the rich and powerful, in this case the embarassment of an out of control government baselessly spying on its own people. Ask Daniel Ellsberg how the american "justice" system works.
Kend, I suggest you are either naive or completely brainwashed.
Back in your pen with the other sheep, kend. Maybe you like totalitarian governments, but the rest of us prefer freedom. Edward Snowden put a lot on the line to inform of us of the constitutional violations being committed against us by a government out of control. Crawl back in your hole, k-end and let the heavyweights like Snowden, Assange and Manning do the heavy lifting to protect the citizenry like the press is supposed to do, but instead, on the corporate-owned mainstream side, are little more than gutless parrots, mimicking the party line they're fed. You're disgusting.