Snowden and the Whistleblower

The Trayvon murder trial overshadowed a few things (if you were watching CNN you would've thought nothing else in the world was happening, like a coup in Egypt....) Manning, the guy who leaked US documents to Wikipedia, faces life in prison. The things he leaked were both sensitive and also damning. Edward Snowden was next in line. He leaked information that pits NSA as the massive surveillance juggernaut spying on everything and everybody. The extent of NSAs intrusion is monumental. They are literally keeping a database of ALL your phone calls and emails. Why? ... or should i say WOW.

Both are social pariahs that will be imprisoned by the US government. This amidst protection for whistleblowers touted by Obama. You can only whistleblow so long as the subject matter isn't too sensitive is the lesson here. The difference between the two is one is still on the run and may never return, the other is in custody and may never get out. Ultimately, the irony here is the often farcical Republican party were the ones who instituted the heavy handed methods. The programs really took off under Bush the II. So apparently LESS government is the name of the game for Republicans, yet they also prefer ? unwarranted and illegal collection of data for the sake of 'security'. You can't explain that one. Things are really ugly. There's no end in sigh other than years and years of legal proceedings and voters not giving a damn to make some changes (Because I guess the lobbyists are the ones with the real power nowadays hey?)