New York Post: "That's plain treason".

[Nye Bevan]

Forget skinny ties and retro hats: The surest way to attain super-cool status (and fame) today is to betray your country. The impossibly self-important NSA contractor, Edward Snowden, who “exposed” two vital intelligence programs, isn’t a leftie Paul Revere. He’s Kim Kardashian with stubble.

He revealed very highly classified programs, alerting our enemies about our most sophisticated intelligence-collection capabilities (programs designed to keep us safe, not spy on us). He broke his oath to protect the information with which we entrusted him, lied about who we target and aided those who want to kill Americans.And he hints he could do more damage. To this old-fashioned American, that’s plain treason.

It’s always been a hipster thing to trash government, but the left’s generations-long effort to destroy the positive image of patriotism has made betraying our country a fashion statement. Snowden is a copycat who “admires” Pfc. Bradley Manning, another now-famous young man who knew better than those who serve dutifully for decades. He’s also enamored of Julian Assange, the left’s favorite accused rapist.

.....

And to my leftist friends: Do you really want a 29-year-old high-school dropout, rather than Congress, deciding which intelligence programs should be authorized? Really? Sounds like a dictatorship to me.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/making_treason_cool_28qrSehrT35J4Jw9VAYgUI

[JW2020]

1. Murdoch

[DetlefK]

2. If Congress actually took the time to do something other than repealing Obamacare.

Patriotism and Legality don't matter when deciding if something is ethical. Obviously the author doesn't get that point and thinks that YOUR moral decisions should be left to "those who know better".

[leveymg]

3. Murdoch has his minions on this board.

The answer to your rhetorical question is, it's not just dependent upon the agent of change. It's about the problem, and the character of those who profit from it.

If the most junior of them makes $200K/year, they are all way too attached to their jobs. Enough so that some will lie, cheat, bribe and blackmail, or do whatever else is necessary to keep the program growing and the money flowing.

The stakes are that high, I would dare to say, high enough to tempt some to treason.

[catnhatnh]

4. Oh flaming horsecock to the Post.

1. "programs designed to keep us safe,not spy on us" This is an advertising slogan. In fact the program was designed to keep the government safe BY spying on us.

2."that's plain treason" Yep, I couldn't agree more. Setting up and operating these systems in secrecy violates the most important guarantees of the Constitution.

3."Sounds like a dictatorship to me" Here we REALLY go through the Looking Glass...Spying on every US citizen in violation of law is some kind of patriotism while exposing malfeasance and running for your life makes you supreme ruler for life?

It would be laughable to read this in an Orwell novel. To read it even in a Murdoch infused crazy sheet is chilling.