One thing we're learning is that Snowden/Greenwald merely revealed symptoms of a metastatic disease spreading through our government and society. The American State no longer exists to protect its founding ideals but rather to enlarge itself at any cost to its host, the American People.
The USA was unique in that it held itself up to a standard that could never quite be reached. Our founders asked a very difficult question: given that societies exist and are prone to factionalism, how do we minimize oppression by the state against even the most obnoxious individuals ( http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm ).
Their answer to Tyranny wasn't Anarchy .. Anarchy is simply a nation of many Tyrants. It was a state that controlled itself through separation of powers. Not just (as kids are taught) between the Legislature, Executive and Judicial branches, but also between the Federal and State governments, the State and Local governments etc. It was division of power by definition.
Today, much like cancer cells I don't think the perpetrators are consciously doing anything wrong, it's simply in their DNA. This is a peculiar problem: past statist diseases like Fascism, Theocracy or Communism were easy to diagnose: they said what they meant and meant what they said.
At this point, surgery or chemotherapy won't do. If the USA is to survive in any recognizable form, we are going to need to invent the analog of gene therapy. We are going to need to spread ideas and change the human DNA of our populace. I think it's happening, but could be quickly reversed if those who care for Liberty don't seriously involve themselves at some level.
The USA was unique in that it held itself up to a standard that could never quite be reached. Our founders asked a very difficult question: given that societies exist and are prone to factionalism, how do we minimize oppression by the state against even the most obnoxious individuals ( http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm ).
Their answer to Tyranny wasn't Anarchy .. Anarchy is simply a nation of many Tyrants. It was a state that controlled itself through separation of powers. Not just (as kids are taught) between the Legislature, Executive and Judicial branches, but also between the Federal and State governments, the State and Local governments etc. It was division of power by definition.
Today, much like cancer cells I don't think the perpetrators are consciously doing anything wrong, it's simply in their DNA. This is a peculiar problem: past statist diseases like Fascism, Theocracy or Communism were easy to diagnose: they said what they meant and meant what they said.
At this point, surgery or chemotherapy won't do. If the USA is to survive in any recognizable form, we are going to need to invent the analog of gene therapy. We are going to need to spread ideas and change the human DNA of our populace. I think it's happening, but could be quickly reversed if those who care for Liberty don't seriously involve themselves at some level.