Dianne Feinstein last week: NSA’s mass collection necessary 'to protect the homeland from terrorism'.[1] Dianne Feinstein today: 'I am totally opposed' to NSA

Dianne Feinstein last week: NSA’s mass collection necessary 'to protect the homeland from terrorism'.[1] Dianne Feinstein today: 'I am totally opposed' to NSA surveillance of US allies.[2] People talk a lot about economic class (1%/99%, rich/poor, etc) but there is another way to think about class: rulers versus ruled. Feinstein is part of the US ruling class and has been for decades. She now has more in common with foreign leaders than US citizens she supposedly represents. Once you understand her mindset her views make perfects sense. Unfortunately these paternalistic views are pervasive with our leaders so I doubt replacing her would help. Rockefeller, next most senior on the committee, is the forth generation of a ruling class family. And Wyden, apparently the only opponent of mass NSA surveillance, would simply be outvoted by the rest of the committee. And I doubt elections will turn on this issue. However I do get the sense that they are getting tired of spending so much time on this issue that it is interfering with their preferred agenda. So perhaps the continued hassle will eventually wear them down. [1] http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/10/20/nsa-call-records-program-sen-dianne-feinstein-editorials-debates/3112715/ http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/10/20/nsa-call-re... [2] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/28/nsa-surveillance-dianne-feinstein-opposed-allies http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/28/nsa-surveillanc...