Althouse: "I am still working for the NSA right now. They are the only ones who don’t realize it."

December 24, 2013

"I am still working for the NSA right now. They are the only ones who don’t realize it."

Says Edward Snowden.

19 comments:

Unknown said...: i wouldn't be surprised in the least if things were not what they seemed, and snowden was some sort of double agent, or acting under orders from the government.; 12/24/13, 5:01 PM
PB said...: the worst outcome would be if democrats somehow convinced people that a new 3rd party should take control of the information collected. This would place it clearly under political control and likely it would be a treasure trove for Obama forces.; 12/24/13, 5:02 PM
Anonymous said...: Americans can be a bit conflicted about the NSA collecting against US citizens in the US.

On the matter of Snowden leaking NSA's activities again foreign governments and persons?

NSA is a spy agency... I'd be pissed if they weren't collecting against the Chinese, Russians, Germans, etc.; 12/24/13, 5:56 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Who died from Obama's desire for power today?

Why, will we if ever, is it to be somehow figured out later, dogmas aside, to include anyone in University like Nazis were included?

Why do you like to include historically accurate Nazi thought when other was, has been, and will be, more easily available?

That is what we, you and I, do, is figure out.; 12/24/13, 6:06 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: These "who died today because America sucks/ perchance is evil" stories becoming ubiquitous doesn't concern the young and dumb.

It is okay to rape when you are not raping but merely teaching.

America needs some teaching for real.

Sadness heretofore is to my mind God-blessedly subtle, let's hope actions do not influence events in a negative manner.; 12/24/13, 6:13 PM
Luke Lea said...: Certainly the man of the year, at least in my book.; 12/24/13, 7:05 PM
Hagar said...: One perverse result of Mr. Snowden's revelations has been to call the politicians' attention to the possibilities available in the NSA's treasure trove.

Let us hope that the leaders of either party realize that it could be too dangerous in the hands of the other party, and so decide to have a mutual - not bipartisan, but mutually hostile - watch set over it.; 12/24/13, 7:41 PM
Richard Dolan said...: Snowden was but a single employee in an agency that employs tens of thousands. He has made an agency devoted to spying on others to fear the potential spies in its own employ. There is no way the agency can do its work without empowering many, many individuals to wreak the same kind of havoc that Snowden has brought. No one's secrecy, not even the NSA's, is safe.

The result is that those who run supposedly secret agencies, and their nominally political masters in the Executive and Congress, must now weigh the cost of disclosure against the potential benefits of any data-snooping initiative. Snowden's revelations shows that those costs can be quite high. As a result (so standard economic analysis would say), we will get less data snooping overall, with the least efficient programs now being deemed not worth the potential cost, assuming that those in charge are acting rationally to maximize their agency's interests.

There is great value in forcing all of the actors in this on-going drama to realize, and then internalize the costs, flowing from the fundamental fact that no one's secrecy is secure.; 12/24/13, 8:22 PM
mike said...: Man of the Year in my book also. 10 years ago I would have reacted differently but having watched our government accrue more and more information and power, I must agree with Snowden that we must act now to curtail the govt's quest to know everything. I shudder to think what will become of America without immediately throttling some of the powers the fedgov already has.; 12/24/13, 8:55 PM
Paul said...: I can see Snowden's dilemma.

He saw so much illegal activity and he knew if he reported it they would just can him. They NEVER would have allowed him to testify in front of Congress (see how Obama stops the CIA operatives from testifying about Benghazi? Same thing.)

The ONLY way he could bring it to light was to expose them.

To me Snowden is a patriot. He did this to save his country from his government.; 12/24/13, 9:50 PM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: Would he be entitled to back pay under the whistleblower statutes? Maybe he is still working for the NSA.; 12/24/13, 11:29 PM
madAsHell said...: Obama is the only president that could possibly turn Edward Snowden into a hero!!; 12/24/13, 11:57 PM
Mountain Maven said...: I am not supposed to wish ill upon my enemies, like Snowden, particularly on Christmas. He could have been an ethical whistle blower. I can wish for life in ADX Florence for the traitor.; 12/25/13, 12:50 AM
Humperdink said...: Let's draw up the two sides here:

On one side we have Snowden. Traitor, scoundrel, Benedict Arnold type who deserves to be hung. Revealing what our spy agencies are up to.

On the other side we have the NSA, collecting data on all Americans, including the media (James Rosen), and then lying about it (Clapper). NSA, as do other agencies, report to the current administration. The same administration that has utilized the IRS, the EPA and others to go after their political enemies. One must conclude the NSA is included in the "others".

Not a tough choice for me. Give me the rebel every time.; 12/25/13, 8:37 AM
Hagar said...: Amazon has a record of everything I ever bought or searched for on their site, and reminds me of it at Christmas-time in case there should be something I need to replenish or refurbish.; 12/25/13, 9:28 AM
Hagar said...: I think the "Old Republicans" - Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe - would be appalled.; 12/25/13, 10:12 AM
Humperdink said...: @Hagar. You know what Amazon does and you willingly agreed to it. Same here. I am an Amazon Prime member. I check my history all the time @ Amazon.

I am thinking if you call NSA customer service, no one will be home.; 12/25/13, 10:34 AM
Hagar said...: Well, yeah. Amazon wants to sell me "stuff," and I do not have to buy.

The same technology to the nth power and in the hands of political operators who also have access to guns - lots of guns - that is another matter entirely.; 12/25/13, 11:40 AM
Hagar said...: and especially if they are out to do what they think is good for me, and just for me - not at all for themselves of course.; 12/25/13, 11:42 AM