what do Americans think about the NSA scandal

[kandrathe]

I agree with the first bit. I don't see what it has to do with retirement, roads, and schools. What % of the budget goes to the NSA? Very little. A small tax increase, or a redirection of the unbelievably large military budget, would have a much larger impact than eliminating security theatre.

Well, 10 billion here (NSA) and 7.38 billion there (TSA) and pretty soon we're talking real money.

Certainly, we could cut our military spending in half and hardly notice any lack of defense of the USA. Perhaps, we would need to stop defending someone else country though.

A bit of democratic bandwagon-jumping is not the same as an inevitable degeneration into totalitarianism.

A bit?



But yes, the first only enables the second. They are not the same thing. What is (maybe not) surprising is the panoply of politicians (even ones on intelligence oversight committees) who had no idea of the extent of US foreign/domestic spying.

Indignity is bad and stupidity is stupid. But totalitarianism has killed tens of millions.

Totalitarianism of brute force? No. Totalitarianism by public abdication of power, yes. The US is careful to not use its totalitarian power killing lots of US citizens. I'm sure that ALL totalitarian regimes didn't begin with re-education camps. That is an artifact of crushing the political dissent once you have a lock on power. The primary guiding "principle" of the US brand of governance is founded upon “consent of the governed” -- however, our government celebrates the power garnered by the apathy of the electorate, such this CIA report on Germany and France --> "Public Apathy Enables Leaders To Ignore Voters..." The Bush brand was all used up, so try our new Obama brand tyranny. It's Leftier!

Source: http://www.salon.com/2010/03/27/wikileaks/