I think the stakes of speaking out have been raised. Five, six years ago you risked felony and prison. Today, you risk being labeled an enemy combatant, or ev

I think the stakes of speaking out have been raised. Five, six years ago you risked felony and prison. Today, you risk being labeled an enemy combatant, or even worse, a traitor to the nation (facing execution). The US government has sent a very clear message - if you have direct knowledge of the way the surveillance is being expanded, and speak out, you're a traitor to the country. In my opinion THAT'S what the general public needs to recognize. The stakes for whistleblowers have been raised to the absolute limit.