I think the Krauthammer quote above is right.....that we the people, thru our elected representatives in Congress, should decide how much or how little surveillance should be done or how much we can tolerate and still have some shred of privacy.

Henry Stimson Secretary of State wrote "Gentlemen don't read other gentlemen's mail as to the logic for closing down the Cipher Bureau in 1929. Thus the USA was hampered as the Axis powers built their war machines. Foreign government feign indignation at spying and are hypocrites because they are also spying. Further even friends need to watch for one another. The 9/11/2001 event was organized in Hamburg Germany.

People who believe that the NSA is bad and Snowden good are at the least naive' Snowden ought to be tried as a traitor

Section 215 of the Patriot Act is the authority to collect metadata. Inquires require FISC approval. In 2012 only 300 such inquires were requested . Data does need to be collected in housed in one area so that when the need arises it can more quickly be recovered. to suggest that such data remain with the telecoms is to invite unnecessary and a very dangerous delay
in our ability to respond.

This is not a topic for emotional /poltical responses but for logical solutions to protect the people and the interests of this country. This is a grown up game and we need grown ups in the room.

We are doing defensive things to keep from being attacked by terrorists, whereas Germany was building up a huge military, way beyond what they would need for their own defense.

You might notice that the U.S. has a big military too, but we are not trying to take over any foreign countries. I don't think the comparison with Germany is very realistic.

I think you are a very inelligent guy, and obviously anti any government.

I am shocked that you would compare a situation that took place almost 100 years ago when not only were there none of the technology available, but the spying was done by neighbor on neighbor. This is not even in the same ball park as the analogy you are passing off here.

Secondly, I think the constitution allows the federal government is in specific charge of national defense and that is what we are talking about.

I recommend to you a read on the Tokyo gas attacks on the subway, and how close....how very close this RELIGIOUS group was to getting hold of nuclear weapons.. I have read a few on that, and it just frightens me what a small world we now live in and how delicate the balance is between freedom and total destruction. The world is not full of peace dwellers....and those who hate and profess it...those who seek to destroy and announce it.....they now have a "shot"

I'm with the hawks on this one. Snoden is a traitor and should face a firing squad. He could have gave his information to several American sources and held some credibility as a whistle blower. You take American classified overseas, you are a traitor.

I do not believe in any way shape or form that supporting the NSA program can be classified as "hawkish". I have no idea how you relate that term to supporting this program !!!

Your right. I should have used a different word.

Making general assumptions about anyone or any program is very dangerous in todays age.....much too complicated of a world. NOTHING is all right...all wrong.

Easy to do, I will agree but it is not only wrong but very unfair. One of my pet peeves is the quoting of, and discussion of things without the proper context, hence my insistance on attaching links to my opinions. You need to read both sides of an issue and both sides of a person to make any judgement and then you are sure to be 50% wrong. My leanings have been judged on here because of just that so I remain a bit sensitive to that :)

Snowden should brought back to the USA to stand trial for espionage, as far as I am concern if he is found guilty, I would hang the S.O.B. I could care less who is monitor's my phone calls, emails or any other type of communication device. I have nothing to hide, if the NSA is able to save one American life from the data they collect, for me that justifies this program.

Let me assume you are correct, but you are far to sensitive to your own feeling yet critical of others. Perhaps you could find a blog for professionals. TOTV is made up of residents from all over the world. I may be wrong, but I would guess most of us are here with less compassion than you for issues like this one. Everyone has an opinion, but ya know what they say about that. Most folks are interested in a yea or nea and not so much about the history of how they make up their mind. The Villages has folks from every background in life and with levels of education from a few years high school all the way to doctorate degrees. You are obviously more versed in advanced military and spy strategy than I, so please allow for that.

I'm not anti ANY government. We need order and rules. But not what we're getting now. It's literally Orwellian what's going on. Read 1984.

You CAN'T make anything or anyone PERFECTLY safe. You can't make everyone or everywhere perfectly safe. You can't stop EVERY idiot who wants to do harm. And to try is too much of an intrusion on everyone else.

The comparison is valid. The Nazis, the Russians, Chinese...the spying was done on their own people...we're doing the same now...government is spying on its own people. It's a slow insidious process...like the frog in water that slowly gets hotter until it dies...never thinking it needed to jump out. We're being manipulated...by professional manipulators.

First of all, you (and I) are way off the subject of the NSA program and thus my response will be terse so others can stay on the subject.

I really do not understand your post at all. Am I passionate about my country...YES..I make no apologies about that.

Do I believe that people do not speak their own minds...YES. They repeat what someone tells them, and never question or do their own research. I am critical NOT OF a differing opinion...a differing opinion will drive me to research more. I AM CRITICAL when their opinion is a repeat of what they were told to believe, be it a party leader, a talking head on TV, etc.

WHY is that a big deal to me....unlike others, I think we are being destroyed by our own laziness, and dis interest in what happens in my and our country. Even our leaders pass laws without even knowing what is in them and that to me is disgraceful.

Sorry for mouthing off......I am never critical of another's opinion, but an opinion requires much more than listening to one side only

Well when the boys on the hill can show me what concrete things they have accomplished as a result of this snooping I might be more inclined to say it serves a purpose. I have nothing to hide, but I resent the fact they are wasting all this time and money with no results once again. But guess we are use that now and just roll over and accept it. Can you imagine how prosperous this country would be without all the waste?!?

Dang Don. I am on the other side of the fence on this one, but I cannot find any fault in your post. Well presented and I will read it until I can find a problem with your logic or change my position on this.

I read 1984, probably in 1964 :)

Of course nothing is perfectly safe, thus we have laws to protect. We have law ENFORCEMENT because everyone will not follow the law.

I would be curious as to, in your opinion, is being intruded on exactly ? In what way are you being intruded upon ? If there was even an inkling that what you hint at....people simply listening to you or I or any innocent American citizen for no apparent reason...SOMETHING NEVER DONE OR CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN DONE, I will join you with a placard. The requirements are clearly spelled out and, to my knowledge, there has never been a claim to the contrary

As I recall my history, the spying in those other lands you mention was one citizen on another citizen fostered publicly by the government. And nothing else, and would ask you to give examples otherwise.