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> There was massive societal backlash against the NSA in the Snowden leak fallout but it's not like a bunch of angry people on the internet can unilaterally shu
by the_only_law 4y ago
> There was massive societal backlash against the NSA in the Snowden leak fallout but it's not like a bunch of angry people on the internet can unilaterally shut down a government agency.
Idk part of my is still convinced that the Chauvin decision was in part a way to placate the absolute destruction proceeding it. Particularly as much more cut and dry cases that don’t attract as much of a visocus response end with the cops getting away with gunning people down who we’re even criminals
- missedthecue 4y agoConvicting an unpopular guy is easy. Shutting down a government institution is not. Even Obama failed to shut down Gitmo, despite being the most powerful person in the country for 10 years.
- Volundr 4y agoDid he try? I always counted it among many broken promises never even attempted.
- snovv_crash 4y agoIt was the first thing he tried, and he was blocked by Congress who refused to fund the shutdown operation.
- ncmncm 4y agoThat looked to me like providing cover for not performing. All the evidence suggests Obama was Their Man from the beginning. (E.g. expanding "death from the sky" program -- even against a US citizen and his children, weaponizing Espionage Act against reporters & whistleblowers.) Most interesting to me is how They arranged to get him a Nobel Peace prize for nothing. (They got one for Kissinger, too!)
- jessaustin 4y agoEvery year Congress sends a defense appropriation bill to the president, and Gitmo's operation is always included in that. Any president who actually wanted to end Gitmo could simply veto the annual defense appropriation bill, and advise Congress to send a new version without the Gitmo crap.