Posted on 06/11/2013 8:04:27 AM PDT by EXCH54FE
With a headline like this, I find myself thinking “From one traitor to another.” Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), another one of those Republicans that should probably be labeled a Democrat, referred to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden as a “traitor” and called his actions a “giant violation of the law.” I actually chuckled a bit because this man has not even referred to the current occupant of the White House as a traitor.
Boehner appeared on Good Morning America on Tuesday declaring, “He’s a traitor. The president outlined last week that these are important national security programs to help keep Americans safe and give us tools to help fight the terrorist threat we face. The disclosure of this information puts Americans at risk.”
Boehner didn’t go anywhere near the Constitution, specifically the Fourth Amendment. If I could just add, the spinelessness of this House Speaker and the treasonous actions of Barack Obama put Americans at risk!
Boehner went on to say that Congress was briefed on the programs that were being used and that attorneys were always present to “protect the privacy of Americans.”
“There is heavy oversight of this program, by the House Intelligence Committee on a bipartisan basis and the Senate Intelligence Committee,” Boehner said. “And that’s why I feel comfortable that we can operate this program and protect the privacy rights of our citizens.”
What he did not note was whether warrants were issued for all snooping. That would be found in the Fourth Amendment Mr. Boehner, you know, part of that document you took an oath to defend and support?
(Excerpt) Read more at freedomoutpost.com ...
Certainly the terrorists would not likely expect that their emails were not being scrutinized. and no one with much sense would doubt that security agencies do serious "Profiling," to determine threats requiring surveillance.
No! It was the law-abiding, rooted Americans, who never suspected something of this broad-brush nature. And this leads to the essential point, analytically:
While extraordinary measures against an enemy deploying terrorists in our midst is justified. This does not authorize ignoring the Constitutional Rights of Americans. Congress & the White House can agree that they want to do something; but that does not amend away established Constitutional rights. As a fellow Ohioan, I have liked the idea that a near neighbor--he represents the District just North of here--is Speaker of the House. But this silliness is an embarrassment.
I would say to the Speaker, "Wake up John, you have shown confusion, not analytic ability here. And suggesting prosecution of someone for warning of a Constitutional violation, takes silliness to a new level. Snowden, like you, was sworn to uphold the Constitution. Please do a better job than this, in upholding your own oath."
William Flax
I’m with you. The traitors are the ones who break their oath of office to defend the constitution. The patriot is the one who defends it.
The people responsible for setting this massive assault on the 4th amendment are traitors.
This one powerless guy is through.
The other group gets more powerful every day.
And if the government ever decides to make a legal case against you, they have years worth of records to sort through and select. You have nothing compared to their resources.
Then they offer you a plea deal. Say you’re guilty and take a year in a Club Fed, or fight it, bankrupt your family, and do twenty years hard time.
I find this whole situation exceeds my ability to come up with an easy answer.
Basically what we are talking about here is the Patriot Act. The activities that Snowden revealed are legal under the Patriot Act, which I personally believe has helped in preventing some serious terrorist attacks since 9-11.
On the other hand, the way Snowden describes his capabilities is chilling, and especially given that he was performing his job in a private corporation receiving massive government funding. Powerful companies getting billions of dollars of revenue will go to great lengths to see to it that they continue to receive that revenue.
Boehner: Obama Supporter
You either support what Snowden did...or what Obama did. Whose side are you on.
I am on Snowden’s.
It is too bad if some people find the limitations on Government, inconvenient. But that is what America is all about, 'being inconvenient for those who want excessive power over others.').
William Flax
“....these are important national security programs to help keep Americans safe and give us tools to help fight the terrorist threat we face.”
It worked so well in Boston that we have 15,000 more folks here on student visas from “dangerous” countries that have not shown up to their schools and we can’t find.....
In some ways this all just comes down to if we have “moral people” in government. When everybody gets “that feeling”, that government isn’t trustworthy, and then finds out about something Orwellian, the trust is destroyed. That’s where we are now. These people treat us like servants, in their minds *they* get to decide what rights we have, all while keeping things secret. Then we’re told to “trust us”.
well...no. This government is a void of darkness, completely opaque. Regarding the NSA specifically...one fact is telling, their outrage of us finding out. They *knew* we wouldn’t like it, then deliberately kept it a secret. Now they want to call it treason, set an example. Nobody had better threaten their control. There was no reason that this program couldn’t have been disclosed more, gone through some public debate.
With the existing targeting of groups and people because of personal beliefs it is not acceptable to be told to just trust you. How about an agreement, the more information the government wants from us the more information we should have access to from them. Deal? They’d never agree, which also exposes them. So many liars and thieves, so plainly obvious, yet no accountability, nobody knows anything. What could possibly go wrong?
“So what happens when a government agency can create a file on you? What happens when you go in for a job interview? What happens when the government decides to gift that H.R. department with five or six comments you’ve made that cause them to think you’re a stick of dynamite all ready to go off?
This information can be gamed so much. It’s almost endless in it’s ability to destroy, control, and manipulate.”
Couldn’t the government steal trade secrets from Toyota or Ford and give it to GM?
When are the people in Ohio going to wake up and get rid of this useless cry baby?'
There is another thread on FR today that says: " Obamacare to increase premiums in Ohio 88%" & his number one priority is passing an immigration bill & calling a patriot a traitor!!
There are lots of low level grunts with TS clearances.
No high school, college. That right there doesn’t even get your resume on anyone’s desk.
Ah, but the TS clearance does. The demand is ridiculous and the Post did an article about a year ago and counted 800,000 TS clearances. That includes a large number of Snowdons.
Neither. It's pretty cut and dry, the guy broke the law. The Obama admin is just continuing what Bush and Congress started.
Nice.
If Boehner knew the NSA was spying on Americans and kept quite, he may be the traitor.
Those calling Snowden a traitor are being entirely consistent in their application of the charge.
Because it is becoming increasingly clear that the federal government does indeed consider loyal, rooted Americans the enemy.
I say that Snowden is the Paul Revere of his generation. Can Lexington and Concord be far behind?
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