So I just got back from only working 8 hours at the gas station today (yay!). On my breaks and during slow times at The Evil Environmental-Whoring Company™ recently, I have been reading, with much interest, all the Dkos diaries about the NSA, Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, and (even though it's not always stated as such) the Obama administration.
It's been quite an education. Or, more appropriately, such a fucking lameass attempt to cover up yet another pathetic round of Rox/Sux that it ain't even funny.
Let's just call a spade a spade here. Jesus H. Christ eating a Snickers bar while riding a motorized scooter, I cannot take anymore of this.
Don't give me the tired old bullshit about how this is about constitutional rights, or Greenwald's hyperbole, or Snowden's defection and controversial criminality, or whistle-blowing, or PRISM, or the NSA, or FISA, or the Patriot Act, or metadata, or megadata, or microdata, or macrodata, or any kind of motherfucking data, goddamnit!
This round of Rox/Sux is a little bit deeper and a little more controversial because it gets to the very heart of what we've been arguing about on this website since January 20, 2009 and, hell, even before.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: all meta roads on Daily Kos lead back to Barack Obama. All of them. Name one that doesn't (ONE!) and I will give you a cookie. I'll even bake them for you myself.
Perhaps I should clarify a bit, because this is very much a one-sided fight. Everyone at Dkos knows which side of the Rox/Sux wars I fall on, yes?
If you don't, you will in a minute flat.
Barack Obama seems like a fairly cool guy to me. He really does. Obama is clearly a devoted family man, an eloquent speaker, a level-headed negotiator, a shrewd politician, and a charismatic personality. I'd like to have a beer with the dude someday, and I don't even drink. That's how much I like him as a person.
But the policies Barack Obama has espoused, since he was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, are lukewarm at best and unethical at worst. Many of the policies he has championed or agreed to while in office straight-up blow chunks. This makes me angry - really, really angry. I didn't even use profanity to describe how upset I am at several of Obama's policy choices, which should prove to you how fucking pissed off I am about the legacy he's leaving behind.
(Oops.)
I used to believe in Barack Obama, the Democratic politician. Now I believe in the facts, bar none.
I believe that Edward Snowden, via Glenn Greenwald, has provided proof that the NSA is spying on us.
I believe that Edward Snowden is a whistleblower, nothing more and nothing less.
I believe that the Obama administration really does not like the guy. They want Snowden brought back to the U.S. to face punishment in the worst way.
I believe this is yet another attempt by the Obama administration to increase and expand state secrets.
I believe that the Obama administration does not support whistleblowers, contrary to past promises.
I believe that Barack Obama should seriously reevaluate this kill list business, because it makes me and plenty of other people blanch and question the bad decisions this man continues to make.
I can focus on Obama's poor policy choices until I am gasping for breath, hoarse from screaming, and mentally exhausted from debating. It will not do me a bit of good on Dkos, because I am a Suxxor and I focus on facts, not personality. I don't give two shits about how Barack looks dreamy shirtless and how he helps out Michelle with the dishes and all that crap.
Because that is total crap, dude. I don't like the way the man is doing his job right now, and I hope to hell he fucking improves his performance. Fer chrissakes, I voted for Obama twice. I want him only to succeed, and that's all I've ever wanted for both the man and the politician.
I also don't give a flying fuck if Edward Snowden voted for Ron Paul in 2012 and that Glenn Greenwald inserts himself into his stories for personal gain. I don't have to like those guys personally, because in the end, it is all about what they bring to the table.
As far as I can tell, Snowden gave up his entire life to bring light to stuff our government is doing that piss most of us off. That's a big price to pay, a huge price, and most of us wouldn't pay it. And Greenwald is just doing his freaking job, cut the guy a break.
Stop making it about personalities, Roxxers. It ain't about anybody's personality, godfuckingdamnit! It's about policy and substance! It's about shedding sunshine on some very dark things our government is doing that make us want to vomit, and then vomit again. And possibly again, depending on the amount of alcohol you currently have in your system. (I have iced tea in my system, so I'll probably just burp really loud.)
Do not attack the person, attack the argument. This isn't about emotions or warm fuzzies or dressing all goth. This is a Democratic website and we have a Democratic POTUS who, as of today, is doing some very undemocratic shit.
You can deal with that or not, but do not malign me as a person because you refuse to see it, or you want to spin it, or you want to protect Barack Obama from anything bad that's ever been said on this website.
Good luck with that.
There. Crap cut.
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P.S. If you are interested in actual good, chewy substance, please check out Richard Lyon's most recent diary. Chalk full of great questions and honest points.