Ellsberg: Snowden’s NSA leak more important than my Pentagon Papers

Yahoo ^

[OneWingedShark]

We're watching a Scandalanche happen in real time. This is history in the making.

I just wonder if we-as-a-people are willing to do what is necessary to those government agents who have held such bad faith:
   

[OneWingedShark]

Most every one of us at one time or another swore I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

I am of the opinion this means the government in carrying out this internal spy program is fulfilling this promise as long as it does it judiciously. There are evil citizens living among us I am sure and they must be caught so we can all be safe.

No, the Constitution is what you were swearing to defend; not agencies, not congress, not the President, not the Supreme Court — the Constitution. This program was a blatant and obvious violation of the Constitution; particularly the 4th and 5th amendments. Less obvious is the 6th amendment; but this gathering and storing of all your [meta]data is the government building a case against you w/o informing you of the charges [because they haven't "found out" what they should charge you with... yet].

[Windflier]

I just wonder if we-as-a-people are willing to do what is necessary to those government agents who have held such bad faith

As I see it, an increasing percentage of patriotic Americans are just barely holding themselves in check, now. Should the gov't make some overtly oppressive move against the people in the near future, I'd expect that to be the match that ignites the dry prairie of discontent and anger.

Once lit, no one will be able to put it out.