The new talking point about the NSA and Snowden made its appearance today on Press the Meat

[hootinholler]

It's gonna cost us billions for fix what Snowden did. Heard that from more than one guest. That one is new and it was mixed in with the more familiar claims like it's just phone numbers, etc.

Do they not realize it wasn't Snowden who's actions need fixing? The NSA's actions need fixing, that is not Snowden's fault. I think that if they didn't need fixing we wouldn't even know Snowden's name.

[riderinthestorm]

1. "Billions" of TAXPAYER money to "fix it up" for our global corporate economic imperialists

so they can continue their race to the top .5%... or something.

What a crock.

What needs to happen is that its DEFUNDED by several billions - now THAT would be a fix.

[hootinholler]

3. The thing that gets me is

How they imply that if Snowden hadn't done anything things would be just peachy.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

2. It's going to cost us billions to fix what Ted Cruz did.

And he wasn't doing a great service for the citizens of the world like Ed Snowden was.

[2banon]

10. I missed this. What did Cruz do wrt to NSA?

[DisgustipatedinCA]

13. I wasn't referring specifically to Cruz and NSA, just Cruz on his own.

His government shutdown was estimated to have cost the nation $24 billion.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/stasi-tea-party-thugs-cost-america-big-article-1.1490798

[riderinthestorm]

14. Ted Cruz and the Rethugs government shut-down stunt is estimated to have cost $24billion

But of course there's no peep about that REAL money down the drain...

Now we have some mythical "billions of dollars" price tag affixed to Snowden's actions (where's the proof anyway).

Its just the latest stupid talking point that's all. The Cruz analogy was simply to point out the hypocrisy I believe.

[2banon]

17. Ah.. Yes THAT... notice how it's all but a dim memory in the minds of the Public thanks to the M$M?

[randome]

4. To be fair, Snowden supporters often make money a salient point.

Neither 'side' should bring that type of argument onto the field unless and until there is nothing more to debate.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]“If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.”
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]

[Rex]

5. What do you expect from corporate autobots?

It cost us 24 billion dollars when the idiot party shutdown the government...don't hear people complaining about THAT too much. The NSA is perfect to some people and can do no wrong. Many of them are called employees.

[rgbecker]

6. I love the contradiction:

1. You have nothing to worry about. The data is the professional's hands...only 22 professionals can get to it.

2. OMG! Snowden, Satan himself, on the government contractor's payroll, has taken all our information and given it to KBG agents in Russia costing the tax payers billions of dollars. We don't know what information he has given out. The guy should be killed on the spot to save the nation.

3. You shouldn't worry, all the data is safe and sound. Only professional's have access.



WTF?

[randome]

9. Snowden wasn't able to steal any personal data. Only internal NSA documents.

As much as he claimed to have "seen things", you'd think he'd have done something to prove that.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]“If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.”
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]

[rgbecker]

12. I guess you know for sure he didn't get any personal info because....?

The NSA told you? I'd like to see that link.

[randome]

15. I don't 'know' anything. Except that Snowden has not proved his claims.

Remember, he and Greenwald led off with the metadata, a legal warrant relating to a practice we've known about since 2007.

Followed by a Powerpoint slide that showed the opposite of what he claimed.

Tepid stuff, other than revealing details of how the NSA spies on other countries. Something we also have known about since forever.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]“If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.”
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]

[rgbecker]

18. So basically you're saying Snowden didn't leak anything we didn't know and hasn't given us

proof that what he says is true? And so that's why the NSA and the entire federal government is after him?

Am I missing something in what you are claiming?

[randome]

19. From our standpoint, no, Snowden told us nothing substantially new.

But from the standpoint of international relations, he revealed how the NSA goes about its spying mandate, likely putting agents' lives at risk and roiling international relations.

What was the point of that? He thinks he's smart enough to decide diplomacy on our behalf?

It works both ways, you know. If Snowden was only trying to 'save us', what is the point of handing over tens of thousands of documents to multiple news organizations? It's not like he read them all or has any idea of the repercussions they might contain.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]“If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.”
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]

[hootinholler]

21. That we had heard rumors about since 2007ish

There were lawsuits that were rejected due to lack of standing that were reopened after the metadata revelations. If all that was happening under a 'legal warrant' there would still be no standing for those suits.

That doesn't even get to the latest program to be exposed DishFire or something like that where all txt traffic is collected.

[DirkGently]

7. Just like climate change. Problems that cost the wrong people money can't exist! n/t

[Progressive dog]

8. It was just phone numbers, nt

[2banon]

11. Anyone on the Panel talk about the cost for the facility in Utah?

I love the "Press the Meat" moniker, btw.

[2banon]

16. For the first time on NPR this morning a reporter referenced the "Libertarian Left" : ACLU

actually using the term "libertarian left". almost coughed up my coffee when I heard it.

Up until now, we've largely been ignored or referred to in quite pejorative terms, i.e. "The Far Left".

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

22. Calling us Reds and Commies is sooooo 1950's.

[sabrina 1]

20. Wrong verb. We can fix that. 'It's going to cost us billions to fix what Snowden EXPOSED'.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

23. What happens if we don't "fix it"? Do we become like the rest of the world?

Just another 2nd rate power that doesn't spend a massive chunk of its wealth on the military?


EEEEK!!

[woo me with science]

24. I guess destroying evidence is expensive. nt

[hootinholler]

25. What was Ollie North's secretary's name?

Gonna need a bigger bra!