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What kills me is that this is all happening under the leadership of a president who once taught constitutional law. If someone with his background won't stop th

What kills me is that this is all happening under the leadership of a president who once taught constitutional law. If someone with his background won't stop this kind of thing from happening, who will?

sunshinerag 12y ago
Did he say he is going to uphold constitutional law? Reading does not imply respect and defence of the same.
mcantelon 12y ago
If Obama was inclined to stop this sort of thing he wouldn't have ended up a presidential candidate in the first place.
- TeMPOraL 12y ago
  That's true and this is a very important point. The system selects against people who would disturb the status quo too much - therefore if you get to the point of being elected president, you are most likely compliant enough and so deep in various deals that you don't have much choice except than to do what various power groups want you to.
  - enraged_camel 12y ago
    The sad part is that disturbing the status quo was Obama's campaign platform. "Change," he called it.
    - rapind 12y ago
      If a politician ever runs with a campaign branded "Irony" they will get my vote. Even if they are completely mad.
      - couchand 12y ago
        How about satire? You could support Die Partei [0]. [0]: http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21610332-election-satirical-party-european-parliament-speaks-volumes-curvy-cannons-and http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21610332-election-satir...
- robrenaud 12y ago
  I voted for him in part because he seemed to be in strong opposition to policies like these. It seems like a total 180 from the positions he was espousing in the campaign before the 2008 election. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6fnfVJzZT4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6fnfVJzZT4 http://www.cnet.com/news/obama-no-warrantless-wiretaps-if-you-elect-me/ http://www.cnet.com/news/obama-no-warrantless-wiretaps-if-yo...
  - revscat 12y ago
    It makes you wonder what exactly was said or done, doesn't it.
smtddr 12y ago
Keep in mind this NSA stuff was in place before Obama, but I do wish he'd take a much stronger stance in getting rid of it. I assume that it isn't Obama so much as the whole system is super fault-tolerant such that one person can't change it; even when that one person is the President. I'm sure if enough outrage came from the public, something would change. But getting the public hyped up over anything other than celeb gossip and American idol.... good luck. I think those in power know that too. Keeping the public too busy with trivial things and getting their souls broken 8hrs a day at some non-rewarding job. Too tired to bother with anything else outside their immediate needs. When I look back at US History, the really big changes in society/law required a significant uprising of the people.
- twoodfin 12y ago
  I assume that it isn't Obama so much as the whole system is super fault-tolerant such that one person can't change it; even when that one person is the President. There might be a political price to pay for changing it, but President Obama has absolute authority to end programs like this. He chooses not to. Unlike most of hn, I don't really mind, but you shouldn't let him off the hook so easily. The executive powers of the President are substantial, and they're one of the things you should think about when choosing someone to fill the office.
sitkack 12y ago
Constitutional Lawyer doesn't mean protector. Knows how to haxor with the best of them. p3wnd
snowwrestler 12y ago
Us. Americans who don't think the program is right. There is a famous story about activists meeting with Franklin Roosevelt. He listened to them and then said "I agree with you. I want to do it. But you must make me do it." What he meant is that serious political change must come from the bottom up. It must arise from the obvious wishes of the population in order to carry enough legitimacy to make it through the democratic system. The fact is that not everyone in the U.S. feels the way we do about the NSA's activities and the Snowden leaks that revealed them. In fact, it's a near even split, although sentiment seems to be moving our way. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/04/15/nsa-coverage-wins-pulitzer-but-americans-remain-divided-on-snowden-leaks/ http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/04/15/nsa-coverage...
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]

sunshinerag 12y ago

Did he say he is going to uphold constitutional law? Reading does not imply respect and defence of the same.

mcantelon 12y ago

If Obama was inclined to stop this sort of thing he wouldn't have ended up a presidential candidate in the first place.

TeMPOraL 12y ago
That's true and this is a very important point. The system selects against people who would disturb the status quo too much - therefore if you get to the point of being elected president, you are most likely compliant enough and so deep in various deals that you don't have much choice except than to do what various power groups want you to.
- enraged_camel 12y ago
  The sad part is that disturbing the status quo was Obama's campaign platform. "Change," he called it.
  - rapind 12y ago
    If a politician ever runs with a campaign branded "Irony" they will get my vote. Even if they are completely mad.
    - couchand 12y ago
      How about satire? You could support Die Partei [0]. [0]: http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21610332-election-satirical-party-european-parliament-speaks-volumes-curvy-cannons-and http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21610332-election-satir...
robrenaud 12y ago
I voted for him in part because he seemed to be in strong opposition to policies like these. It seems like a total 180 from the positions he was espousing in the campaign before the 2008 election. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6fnfVJzZT4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6fnfVJzZT4 http://www.cnet.com/news/obama-no-warrantless-wiretaps-if-you-elect-me/ http://www.cnet.com/news/obama-no-warrantless-wiretaps-if-yo...
- revscat 12y ago
  It makes you wonder what exactly was said or done, doesn't it.

smtddr 12y ago

Keep in mind this NSA stuff was in place before Obama, but I do wish he'd take a much stronger stance in getting rid of it. I assume that it isn't Obama so much as the whole system is super fault-tolerant such that one person can't change it; even when that one person is the President. I'm sure if enough outrage came from the public, something would change. But getting the public hyped up over anything other than celeb gossip and American idol.... good luck. I think those in power know that too. Keeping the public too busy with trivial things and getting their souls broken 8hrs a day at some non-rewarding job. Too tired to bother with anything else outside their immediate needs. When I look back at US History, the really big changes in society/law required a significant uprising of the people.

twoodfin 12y ago
I assume that it isn't Obama so much as the whole system is super fault-tolerant such that one person can't change it; even when that one person is the President. There might be a political price to pay for changing it, but President Obama has absolute authority to end programs like this. He chooses not to. Unlike most of hn, I don't really mind, but you shouldn't let him off the hook so easily. The executive powers of the President are substantial, and they're one of the things you should think about when choosing someone to fill the office.

sitkack 12y ago

Constitutional Lawyer doesn't mean protector. Knows how to haxor with the best of them. p3wnd

snowwrestler 12y ago

Us. Americans who don't think the program is right. There is a famous story about activists meeting with Franklin Roosevelt. He listened to them and then said "I agree with you. I want to do it. But you must make me do it." What he meant is that serious political change must come from the bottom up. It must arise from the obvious wishes of the population in order to carry enough legitimacy to make it through the democratic system. The fact is that not everyone in the U.S. feels the way we do about the NSA's activities and the Snowden leaks that revealed them. In fact, it's a near even split, although sentiment seems to be moving our way. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/04/15/nsa-coverage-wins-pulitzer-but-americans-remain-divided-on-snowden-leaks/ http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/04/15/nsa-coverage...

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]