How the Professional Left's Blind Obama Hatred Got them Played by a Far-Right Nutjob

[Galraedia]

Some outlets reported last week that NSA leaker and fugitive Edward Snowden was caught into a bit of hypocrisy: public chat records indicate that back in the ancient times of 2009, he wanted leakers "shot in the balls." Yeah, he said that. But that's not all he said. Oh, no. The Technology site Ars Technica posted extensive public chat logs from Snowden, then using the monkier TheTrueHOOHA, that confirms what I had suspected since finding his campaign contributions to Glenn Greenwald's straight crush Ron Paul.

So let's talk about this man that has been granted hero status by the Left's loudest prognosticators and provocateurs. The transcripts released by Ars Technica are about a lot more than Snowden's previous contempt for leakers. He hated social security, loved Ron Paul and his ideas, and peddled the NRA's garbage about fighting the government with guns. He suggested punishing both leakers and publications that publish the leaks. All in all, Edward Snowden is a right wing, anti-government nutjob who has managed to become the hero of so many on the reactionary Left.

Ars Technica reports that Ed Snowden is not much more than your typical, teabagging, cookie-cutter right wing nutjob who hates Obama. He complained about everything from the president's appointment to the CIA to gun control to how Social Security has turned old people into lazy moochers.

Once Obama took office, Snowden groaned about his policies with increasing frequency. Fears that Obama might revive an assault weapons ban didn't sit well with him as a defender of the Second Amendment. Another sticking point was social security. Snowden was an individualist, even when it was unpopular; he saw little need for a safety net.

Read more: http://www.thepeoplesview.net/2013/07/how-professional-lefts-blind-obama.html#.Udc6EHKkJ8Y.facebook

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. In other news...

[Galraedia]

4. In other news...

[caseymoz]

29. By comparison, then . . .

. . . because Justice Anthony Kennedy has a rather conservative record, we should be all for DOMA and DADT, and suspect that his voting to end it was some kind of plot, and anyone who agrees with him is being manipulated by a conservative mastermind.

Snowden still did the right thing by leaking the surveillance program and whistle blowing. I don't care what he did before or he's done after.

And those to do with a program he didn't put in place that violates the Constitution despite Congressional and Presidential Oaths of Office that swear to uphold it.

So, what did Snowden do to force Obama to make the NSA to spy on us all? I'm waiting to hear you tie it all up by saying that PRISM was actually Snowden's plan from beginning to end, as inspired by his master, Dick "The Dick" Cheney.

Quit bullshitting us about being in the thrall of this Svengali. All you'll get from doing that is a very careless reading.

[dipsydoodle]

48. lol

[MannyGoldstein]

2. And the White House is still spying on every American

Which is much the larger issue.

[villager]

3. Many here are too terrified to see it, or speak it

Let alone hear of it.

[AgingAmerican]

34. Sort of like "The Emperor wears no clothes"

n/t

[Galraedia]

5. Spying on every American?

Feel that important do you? That's an exaggeration.

[cali]

57. why yes, dear. spying on every American

not much of an exaggeration.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023166384

[Galraedia]

63. No dear, they aren't.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023137494

[MNBrewer]

79. They're doing it because they DON'T think we're important

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Yup, but the shit stirring is all kinds of fun

[jazzimov]

16. No, it's not.

Which you would know if you actually READ the documents that were "leaked' by this nutjob.

But you'd rather believe lies than the Truth, wouldn't you? It's typical.

[CakeGrrl]

19. And Al Gore invented the Internet.

No one has proved that the government has collected individual data without a warrant, as the leaked documents themselves stipulate.

But why ruin the outrage with reality? They COULD do it, and Snowden Speaks The Truth!

[JDPriestly]

28. They admit that they are collecting the metadata on individuals.

With that data, they know every time you call your member of Congress.

If you are a government employee and your boss knows you are aware of he boss's corruption and the Congress finds out about it, your metadata can be reviewed and you will be fired, maybe tried as a leaker if you work, say, in Homeland Security or the military or the NSA or CIA.

So, this program insures that crooks in government will enjoy job security.

And I am talking about the collection of metadata, not the collection of the content in communications with or without a warrant.

The metadata collection is a huge, huge problem.

[Arctic Dave]

7. You may need this.

[Buzz Clik]

10. -1

Why the insult?

[Galraedia]

11. More like:

[quinnox]

13. indeed, and a nice and calm rubber room

[Union Scribe]

60. I'm thinking

that's what he busted out of to re-emerge on DU lately. Nothing but high-octane ranting and whining about DUers.

[Katashi_itto]

91. +1

[CakeGrrl]

8. He's just gonna LOOOOVE Venezuela. Yep.

Cheer him on to 'freedom'.

[Cha]

14. Anything to stay away from that big bad ol

United States of America.. "they're gonna kill me!"

[flamingdem]

49. I'm beginning to like the idea. We will get hours of

joy watching Snowball in a socialist country.

Of course we'll have to endure years of Civil War at DU too!

[Katashi_itto]

90. Nothing wrong with socialist countries, you ought to try them

Sweden for example has the highest standard of living in the world.

[caseymoz]

55. I'm certain it beats solitary

Last edited Sun Jul 7, 2013, 06:36 AM - Edit history (1)

in a US prison, or being tortured in some secret camp after extraordinary rendition. You ever hear the expression, "Any port in a storm?"

Sheesh. The ignorance and resentment coming out here is discouraging. And this is the purported champion-of-civil-liberties party, and I'm not talking about the Libertarians.

[tblue]

67. Yup.

It's getting very weird here on this site. Hang in there.

[iemitsu]

87. I agree, if some think that spying on us is fine

and that those concerned are paranoid weirdos, why don't they spend their time on something more "real life".
If I thought folk were wasting time on a fantasy, I would not waste my time with them. Even to make fun of them.
I would go somewhere I though would deepen my knowledge or understanding of something I thought mattered.
We will probably never know the whole back story to the Snowden Affair but I doubt Snowden put himself in this position lightly.
Saying dumb things or believing political propaganda when one is young does not mean that person can not grow or change his mind.
I suspect Snowden has more character and integrity than most of his countrymen could ever dream of possessing. Maybe it is that realization, that results in such caustic attitudes toward a man, who has risked his neck to inform us about what our government is doing behind our backs.
He is at the least a patriot.

[Katashi_itto]

89. Venezuela is quite nice, I've been there a number of times.

Venezuela is among the most urbanized countries in Latin America; the vast majority of Venezuelans live in the cities of the north, especially in the capital, Caracas, which is also the largest city. On the other hand, it's also one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

But I live in New Orleans, which has a comparable crime rate to Guatemala. So it's not a big deal for me.
I forget where Snowden hails from. Likely he'll end up with bodyguards.

[kentuck]

9. People change.

Hillary Clinton used to be in a club that supported Richard Nixon. Snowden definitely has his share of wrong decisions but maybe he is that broken clock that is right once a day? It doesn't matter. He is being judged on what he said and done this time, not what he might have said or did in the past.

[Hekate]

23. Hillary was a Goldwater Girl -- in high school

In college she was president of the Wellesley College Young Republicans, which was a Rockefeller-Republican oriented group. Later (still in college) she stepped down as her views changed regarding the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. In her junior year, she worked for the presidential nomination of anti-war Democrat Eugene McCarthy, of whom you have probably heard.
(Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton )

College is a time of growth for many people -- it was for her. She came from a mainline Republican family, which her early youth reflects. In college she grew.

Sorry, that's probably taking it farther than you intended. I just went on a riff about Hillary, who is my age and whom I admire, even though I am not particularly rooting for her to run for POTUS.

[AgingAmerican]

37. People who go to college tend to shun bigotry

That is the main reason Republicans are against higher education. It drains away people who would likely vote for them.

[Hekate]

53. What we used to proudly call the Liberal Arts certainly gives you wide exposure

English lit., philosophy, history, languages, sciences -- that used to be considered the basis of a well-rounded education that taught an undergraduate student how to think critically. It's what Core Requirements used to be for, too.

I think GOPers like focused majors like Engineering, Comp Sci, and so forth. My sister got her Engineering degree in the early 1970s, and said it was pretty much like a trade degree, vocational education. She had not one single class in the Core Requirements I slogged through on my way to a BA in History. Well, she was required to take English 101, but she tested out of that. She had a job at the end of it, and I didn't, so there you are.

Fortunately for my sister and my relationship with her, we come from a family of intensive readers and talkers, so she was okay in that regard. Same with her husband.

But hell, it has always made me wonder about too-narrow focus -- and now we've got these political nuts who denigrate all forms of public education and are anti-intellectual like nobody's business. Just do your job and don't look at the big picture or think about it. Critical thinking could be unAmerican, seditious, and atheistic. College? Sure, if you want to stagger under debt for the rest of your life.

>sigh<

[iemitsu]

88. I share your concern about a "too-narrow focus" in the

education of Americans.
We foster an anti-intellectual attitude and price post-secondary education out of the range of most citizens, then insist that those, who are lucky enough to have access to higher education, specialize, in some narrow field, to justify their value in the market place.
It is too costly for students to take courses, not required for graduation, and in some states students are actually penalized (paying extra tuition) for taking space in a non-required course.
Thus we are specialized, compartmentalized, made to feel as if we cannot fathom the "big picture" on any issue, that we were not specifically trained to grapple with. We shrug our shoulders and leave it to the experts.
But, imo, there are really plenty of folk with critical thinking skills, many, perhaps most, without formal credentials to "verify" their skills. These people are interested in many things, are (usually) well-read, and are driven to figure things out and, regardless of their formal educational attainment, are largely self-taught individuals. They know a lot about a little and a little about a lot. They have common sense. There are examples of this sort of person on DU, many examples, but there are also those who exhibit a distinct lack of critical thinking skills, and those who use their skills maliciously.
The world is made of all sorts.
The best we can do is use our influence/voice to provide educational opportunities for those, who actively embrace the dynamic world in which they live.

[JI7]

12. don't assume they are all part of the left

[Starry Messenger]

15. Spandan the blogger has spoken.

We can all go home now.

[whatchamacallit]

18. I know

That's gotta be one of the most shit blogs ever.

[Starry Messenger]

26. Interestingly he declared in 2007 that he wasn't going to vote for Obama

http://www.thepeoplesview.net/2007/10/obama-lost-my-vote-general-election-too.html?m=0

It's a good thing people are never allowed to change their position on an issue, or he might look like a hypocrite.

He was angry over Obama's selection of McClurkin on the primary campaign. Perfectly fine that he was and perfectly fine that he changed his mind. Funny he can't give this same consideration to others.

[Mojorabbit]

17. It is not about Snowden. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

20. EEK! Leftists! Commies! Reds! Pinkos! Hippies! Save the NSA and CIA!!

[tblue]

68. But if we don't speak up, who will?

It's us against the establishment, even and perhaps especially, within a lot of the Democratic Party. I ain't giving up though.

[Electric Monk]

21. I feel like you're the one attempting the playin. You may fool some, but not all. nt

[mike_c]

22. the professional left, LMAO....

[olddots]

24. It's an interesting aproach but what are you typing ?

I don't want to heckle the messenger but what are you trying to say ?????

[99th_Monkey]

25. -10 I find the subtext of your OP odious

This guy Snowden is EVIL, and NOT to be trusted, after all, he has done a few dumb things in his life, or maybe said something and forgot to include a smilie, etc. etc.

DO NOT BE CONCERNED THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT IS SPYING ON YOU, IS ENGAGING IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, AND CONSTANTLY LYING TO YOU ABOUT IT.

TRUST & OBEY NO MATTER HOW CRIMINAL OUR OFFICIALS BEHAVE.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT THE "BEST FACE" ON THIS: I.E. PRETEND THAT ALL THAT STUFF THAT WAS LEAKED IS OF NO CONSEQUENCE WHATSOEVER IN TERMS OF CIVIL LIBERTIES, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, ETC. PLEASE DON'T ASK WHY, IF IT'S "OF NO CONSEQUENCE", THAT EVERYONE IS FREAKING OUT SO MUCH ABOUT IT.

[JDPriestly]

27. Snowden is 29, unmarried, successful, brilliant and he probably doesn't need a safety net.

Lots of young, unmarried, self-centered people of his age earning between $100,000 to $200,000 per year do not understand why people need Social Security.

But then there are not many people aged 29, unmarried, successful, brilliant and earning between $100,000 and $200,000 per year. He is an odd duck and probably quite unpleasant and self-centered.

But, think of it. Obama welcomed a discussion about the surveillance program and said he would not scramble jets to get Snowden.

But, his ambassador Eacho in Vienna, requested Snowden's extradition from the Austrian government on the grounds that Snowden was in the Vienna airport in Morales' plane.

Now. Obama said he welcomed a discussion about the surveillance program.

Then why does he want to punish, to apprehend and extradite the person who was brave enough to start that discussion.

Let's agree that Snowden is a horrible, despicable person, self-centered and egotistical. He probably doesn't care what we think.

But then let's think about Obama.
Isn't it hypocritical to welcome a discussion about surveillance while trying to punish the person who started the discussion?

I think so.

As for whether Snowden should have reported this to Congress rather than to the press?

Think about it. That is absurd. Snowden knew that if he made a call to Congress about the surveillance program, he would be discovered BY THE VERY SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM THAT HE CALLED HIS CONGRESSMAN ABOUT. So, Snowden knew that the minute he even spoke to his Congressman about the surveillance program he would be suspected of leaking.

That is why Snowden did the only thing he could do -- leave the country with documents in hand.

This should not have happened. Our government should have started the public discussion about massive surveillance itself -- and before it implemented the program under Bush or continued and developed it under Obama.

Snowden is not the issue. The massive surveillance and the collection of metadata are the issues.

No member of any agency can report wrongdoing to a senator or to the press without the government looking at the metadata of all the people who might know of the wrongdoing and interrogating them or otherwise investigating to find the "leaker." Snowden is not the first leaker to have been discovered thanks to the very program they were leaking about.

It's a vicious circle for those working for this NSA program. A vicious circle.

Same for those working in other branches of government who see wrongdoing, waste, corruption and criminal activities.

How long can our democracy last if the corrupt in our government are in charge?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

30. Some people are getting tons of cash EASILY and they KNOW they're STUPID....

So they figure the ONLY reason other people are poor is because either they are lazy or don't know they could be wealthy if they'd just wake the fuck up and stop being victims.

[JDPriestly]

35. Good point.

If you are willing to sell your soul and do something evil like collect metadata or do surveillance on your fellow citizens, you can make lots of money. That's the message here.

I think those that run this surveillance program are the traitors.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

72. Authoritarians believe the people need to be led by a vanguard or civilization will fall.

[marions ghost]

81. They have to pay them well to do this work

otherwise they wouldn't. You wonder how much the contractors have to pretend they are doing honorable work. What a toll that might take. Probably they are easily brainwashed and the type who can shut off any uncomfortable feelings and rationalize what they are doing. I agree that those who devise, implement, and manage these programs are the real traitors. The underlings just carry out their tasks like robots.

And then along comes someone like Snowden who for whatever reason, sees that what he is doing in his job is wrong. What he is paid to do is wrong.

Very wrong.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

31. Jim Brady was a far right nutjob too. The Brady Bill was a good thing.

David Brock was a far right nutjob that wrong a slam book based on lies against Anita Hill and Hillary Clinton. He runs Media Matters.

Snowden may be a right wing nut job, but he exposed unconstitutional acts by this administration. And I do believe the oath of office states to preserve, protect and defend the constitution. It does not say pervert it in the name of security.

I guess I'm just a constitutional absolutist, namely passe in this day and age of sacrificing liberty for the illusion of security.

Quoting Carlin:

"All of this is done to make white people feel safe. The searching, questions, screenings. . .all of it is designed to reduce your liberty and remind you they can fuck with you anytime they want. Because that's what Americans do now. . .they will trade their liberties for the feeling, the illusion of security."

[SunSeeker]

32. K & R

[sagat]

33. Nice site, thanks.

[AgingAmerican]

36. The "Professional Left" are the Democratic punditry

Please link to where they say they hate Obama. I haven't seen any pundits saying that, except on FOX.

[cyclezealot]

38. At issue is not Snowden's political views

but, the Fourth Amendment. Obama can be wrong you know . This does not have to Obama's Waterloo. Obama instead could do the right thing. It is Obama's Waterloo, only if he wants it to be. We are not his enemies- he is. Or could be.

[Jim Lane]

44. Precisely. The people attacking Snowden never explain the relevance of this.

This is at least the second thread on this exact same article -- see its predecessor -- and in neither of them did any of the Snowden detractors (or should we call them NSA defenders?) make any serious effort to link Snowden's views on Social Security with the question whether the government (i.e., the Obama administration) is currently violating the Fourth Amendment.

Snowden could have endorsed moon landing faked and 9/11 an inside job and Obama born in Kenya, and dredging up all those weirdnesses from his past wouldn't tell us one thing about the current state of our constitutional rights.

BTW, for the benefit of the all-too-many DUers who don't read posts carefully, let me clarify that I made up all those examples for purposes of illustration. I have no reason to believe or even suspect that Snowden supports any of those theories. In fact, I've devoted zero effort to compiling information about Edward Snowden's political positions. That question has no bearing on anything I care about. When Snowden runs for public office, I'll be glad to look at the oppo research on him.

[cyclezealot]

56. Let's say Snowden were to run for Congress in a Red district.

That Democrats' have no chance of winning. I would think the Election of Snowden to Congress would be a good thing. Why.? Because Republicans don't like him.. He is much too independent would be my thinking. Take note DUer's.. Republicans support the NSA Stasi security state. They don't approve of Snowden. Should that not tell you something. ?

[Jim Lane]

71. I disagree with you there.

Throwing mud at Snowden's critics is as much a distraction as is throwing mud at Snowden.

That Snowden is hostile to Social Security, or that some Republicans who support the surveillance and who are therefore hostile to Snowden are also hostile to Social Security, are both facts that are irrelevant to the debate over the surveillance.

If it's a thoroughly red district, and the choice is between Snowden and a Tea Partier with a "Palin/Cruz 2016" bumper sticker, then, yes, Snowden would be preferable. In general, though, saying "this candidate is hated by Stalinesque Republicans" isn't a qualification for Congress.

[sibelian]

39. THANK YOU!

EDITING MY THREAD...

[magellan]

50. lol

You could at least provide a link to your great thread!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023177422

[Fearless]

40. This person has nothing to do with the actions the US government are currently taking

Any further continuation of this thread is just a proliferation of that stupid notion that it's more important who the leaker is than the fact that what was leaked is TRUE and is illegal.

[Galraedia]

64. What proof do you have of Snowden's claim that he could...

"wiretap anyone from a federal judge to the president" simply from his desk?

That isn't just an exaggeration, it's a lie that is even contradicted by some of the documents he released. See: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023137494

If Snowden was interested in the truth he wouldn't be making false claims and exaggerations.

[Fearless]

70. You're changing the subject again

What is being done by the govt is illegal.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

42. K&R

Makes me want him in a jail cell even more!

[flamingdem]

43. He belongs in a Libertarian Retraining Camp in Caracas TOMORROW

Good luck Snowball

[ucrdem]

45. Hey you called that one flamingdem

last week I believe. Who'd a thunk it???

[flamingdem]

46. LOL feeling a bit conflicted about how I want this story to end though

I wanted to see how the perp walk looked but the idea of Eddie blogging from Caracas is appealing, if they let him.

He will not be able to comment on the authoritarian government and everything he does will be noted and cataloged. His ideas about freedom are about to change!

Maduro would only do it to burnish his image as a rebel, but then you know, he'd be stuck with him! Capriles, his arch rival, has so much more in common with Snowball than he does. For sure Capriles is plotting to win the next election with the Snowden issue. Not everyone in Venezuela is down with the Bolivarian People's Republic.

They just really don't want a Libertarian there, or it's kind of a joke for these populist socialist leaders and they'll bat him around like a cat with a mouse! That might be worth the price of admission.

Libertarian heads would explode. Greenwald would organize a rescue party! Hacking through the Amazon to save his career!

Thanks for your appreciation ucrdem!!

[ucrdem]

51. I would have thought it an extremely unlikely ending

and still think it probably IS unlikely, unless Snowden was on Morales' plane after all, and Maduro is helping out a friend by taking possession of the stolen goods so Evo can stay out of hot water with Joe. But if Snowball wasn't on the plane, I don't see how leaves Moscow ever, basically. He's a good barraging chip in the Syria game and it just might turn out that Snowball gives Putin the leverage he needs to get NATO off Assad's back, which would be ironic, as GG and Snowden are both neocons at heart.

Funny how these Obama bombs keep backfiring on the bombers, isn't it?

[flamingdem]

52. Funny I just wrote the same, that Snowden is neo-conish, and what you wrote

is what I thought about today as well.

The wild card is Putin. He must, simply must be the one playing cards here. How can he resist taking advantage of a snowball dropped into his lap.

He acts like he wants him out, but that's cover for the trials going on now of his enemies.

The neo-con connection is clear with Lon Snowden's choice of lawyer for his son. Big time neo-con, Israel connections, Libertarian

How does Lon feel about his son converting to socialism in South America, yes it just is unlikely

However I don't think he was on the plane, too much work, too much risk. I never, ever thought that because there was no real want for the guy, just the desire to use him on the political stage

[ucrdem]

54. Snowden's lawyer is 100% wingnut, with connections to Rand Paul AND LaRouche

though he claims to have no connection to either group:

In a curious development, NSA traitor Edward Snowden’s father is being represented by attorney Bruce Fein, who appeared with Senator Rand Paul at his anti-NSA news conference on June 13. Fein says “someone in Senator [Rand] Paul’s office” recommended him to Edward Snowden’s father, Lonnie. It appears that Fein is trying to negotiate Edward Snowden’s return to the U.S, although his father reportedly hasn’t spoken to his son since April.

Asked about his involvement in the case, including a letter he wrote to Attorney General Eric Holder on behalf of Edward Snowden and his father, Fein told me on Friday: “I do not work for or represent Senator Paul or any associated group in any capacity and never have. I was not representing Lonnie Snowden at the time of the [June 13] press conference. The representation agreement was signed earlier this week. Lonnie called me on the phone last week seeking my advice and assistance. I was informed someone in Senator Paul’s office recommended me and a few others who could be trusted and would be unwavering in defense of the Constitution, especially the Fourth Amendment.”

But his involvement in the Snowden case isn’t the only controversial aspect of Fein’s recent career moves. A well-respected constitutional lawyer whose books include American Empire: Before the Fall, Fein has appeared at two conferences this year sponsored by the Schiller Institute, a group started by political extremist and convicted felon Lyndon LaRouche.

“I have no involvement” in the LaRouche organization, Fein told me. “They have asked me to speak at a few events which I did, and gave the same message I give to all of my audiences. The Constitution is sacred. The American Republic was founded on the idea that every man and woman is a king and queen but no one wears a crown. We take risks others shun because we believe life as a vassal or serf to Big Government is not worth living.”

http://www.aim.org/aim-column/snowden-lawyer-close-to-senator-rand-pauls-office/

The right-wing nutbag outfits are apparently joining forces to topple the Kenyan tyrant, so I don't see the logic of the Maduro announcement either. But then Chavez always thought Chomsky was his friend and defender, but it turned out when the chips were down, Chomsky was just another RW propagandist denouncing Chavez on trumped up human rights charges.

[ucrdem]

47. Snowden thought he was launching White House Down

but he and Greenwald turned out to be Dumb and Dumber.

[Eleanors38]

58. Gun control & corn sweetener: Creeps into everything.

I don't think the gun issue has the panache you think it has.

[Scootaloo]

59. "Professional left"?

I remember getting called that back when I was criticizing Boosh.

Sorry, I'm not a professional leftist - I'm just a volunteer who happens to be very good at what I do. If you want to insult me by calling me a leftist on DU, of all places, I think that probably says loads more about you than anything.

[boston bean]

61. "Glenn Greenwald's straight crush Ron Paul"

WTF. What the fuck does that have to do with anything? Homophobic bullshit is what it is.

[WinkyDink]

62. What is the "Professional Left," and where can I get a degree?

[Vinnie From Indy]

65. Would not the majority of DU'ers with post counts over 100

be considered the "professional left"? Are you actually calling out the vast majority of DU'ers? You offer we have a blinding hatred of Obama? That is simply crazy talk!


In addition, you humorously call out all the people that want Snowden caught and tried as a "leaker". I am quite sure most of them did not catch it. You wrote,

"He suggested punishing both leakers and publications that publish the leaks. All in all, Edward Snowden is a right wing, anti-government nutjob..."

If that is what it takes to be a far right nutjob, you are, in fact, describing many of your posse in this thread.

At the end of the day, you have called out those that support Snowden and those that don't. lol!

Cheers!

[uponit7771]

66. That's why I'm taking what Snowden says with a grain of salt...a big salt block right now

[winter is coming]

69. "Blind Obama Hatred"? Why not simply title the article, "Bullshit Rant, Do Not Read"?

I saw an OP the other night speculating that the anti-Snowden crowd is mostly het up because he made Obama look bad. I thought that was an oversimplification, but "blind Obama hatred" is leading me to reconsider.

[felix_numinous]

73. Now I know these posts are

left baiting.

'Professional left' was the term used to dis the left who called attention to all of those corporate RW appointments in this administration early on. But you knew that.

[Galraedia]

74. Wrong.

'Professional left' = Left-leaning pundits, paid activists, and heads of liberal institutions.

http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/2011/10/ode-to-the-professional-left.html

[WinkyDink]

85. "liberal institutions" = respected universities. Antonym: A**h*** institutions. E.g., Liberty U.

[Scurrilous]

76. LOL

Great article.

Lets see the Cat Food Commissioneers spin Snowden's desire to starve poor Nana.

[Agnosticsherbet]

77. What's the pay scale for the professional left?

I'm an unemployed liberal and could use a job.

[limpyhobbler]

80. LOL where do I fill out the job application?

If anybody knows how I can get a job posting left wing rants about Obama on liberal websites, PLEASE post here with the link.

[limpyhobbler]

78. Seems like most of the professionals are running cover for Obama, so yawn...

[Coyotl]

82. Is anyone asking question number one, "What we are being distracted from now?"

Oh yeah, Snowden is distracting from NSA spying

[Rex]

83. The WH PR firm is in overdrive.

I could care less about Snowden and I think he was stupid to flee to our traditional enemies. THAT SAID, why are people distracted by all this information about Snowden (he has a pool, he has a girl friend, here are some pictures of his pad blah blah) WHO CARES!?!?!

This still does not change ONE SINGLE IOTA about the spying and surveillance going on in this country, despite the fact that we are supposedly protected from such via the 4th.

THE FACT that he was hired by some flunky company that is shady and THAT he worked in a place that he had no right working in SHOULD BE the MAIN TOPIC. Not Snowden, but they will keep talking about him. Just so the fact that THEY FUCKED UP TOO isn't talked about or shouted down by the RAH RAH crowd.

[noamnety]

84. Also, Trayvon was suspended from school a few times.

I think that proves Zimmerman's actions were beyond reproach.

[iemitsu]

86. Snowden is not unlike many young Americans,

who flirt with libertarian and conservative ideologies, after all, those are the ideas espoused by the wealthy and successful in our society.
Most people grow out of that cloud as their efforts go unrewarded and they work harder and harder and fail to get ahead.
Spandan, himself (the author of the linked post) seems confused about some basic definitions, for terms he uses, and so his argument loses power.
For example, when Spandan says ".... hero of so many on the reactionary Left.", he demonstrates a lack of clarity concerning what it means to be a reactionary.
On the left You find radicals and on the right you find reactionaries.
Makes the article sound as if it was from Fox News.

[roody]

92. Please direct me to the Professional

Left's human resources office. I'm tired of doing all this stuff for free.