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The founding fathers had a vision. It certainly didn't include anything like the FBI, CIA, or NSA spying on their own countrymen.

George Washington ran a spy ring that spied on both the British and fellow colonists. Benjamin Franklin opened other peoples mail to gather intelligence.

George Washington, Spymaster

Washington took his role as spymaster in chief quite seriously, laying the groundwork for today’s complex intelligence community and recognizing that civilian observation, mobilization and insight was just as important as military might. Without this foresight, the outcome of the Revolutionary War might have been quite different. The war for independence from Great Britain was not just one of battles and firearms, it was one of intelligence. As one defeated British intelligence officer is often quoted as saying, “Washington did not really outfight the British. He simply out-spied us.” -

What do you think General Washington would have done with someone that stole secret war plans of the Continental Army and then fled to a foreign country as General Arnold did? What did they do with spies and traitors?

What was Snowden's real agenda? There really isn't any way to know for sure, is there?

German spies imply Snowden leaked files for Russia

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden could have been acting under the influence of the Russian government, the heads of Germany's foreign and domestic intelligence agencies said on Friday.

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Any efforts to discredit this man are a fucking disgrace that should be called out as such.

Snowden has admitted his guilt publicly. There isn't any genuine doubt he is guilty of the offenses with which he is charged, and it all could have been avoided if he had gone to Congress. Because of his actions al Qaeda, ISIS, North Korea, and other enemies and adversaries of the US have had direct access to large collections of national defense secrets of the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Germany, France, and others. What a hero.

Not to denigrate Jenner -- who deserves loads of credit. But innoculation with cowpox or a mild form of smallpox was commonly practiced in the American colonies in the 1770s. In point of fact after an early period where the practice of innoculation was forbidden by George Washington, recruits to the Continental army were deliberately infected with a mild strain of smallpox upon enlistment. http://www.mountvernon.org/dig...

We have had neck deep bullshit since the first president.

http://www.mountvernon.org/res...

The united States of America has been living on a foundation of lies and bullshit from day one. This is what our country is founded on and built for.

Apparently he also suffers from Alzheimers! We replaced his escape completion with tab completion around the same time were replaced his lead dentures!

You seem to be suggesting that intelligence agencies are wrong to engage in spying. I like the bit about "disinfect with sunlight" as a touch of irony. Spy agencies work in the shadows. Apparently you don't want them to work at all. You may be missing some other pieces as well.

George Washington, Spymaster

Benjamin Franklin

The Second Continental Congress created the Committee of Secret Correspondence in 1775, which was charged with gathering intelligence and "corresponding with our friends in Great Britain and other parts of the world" to gain information that would be helpful to the American cause and to forge alliances with foreign countries. Benjamin Franklin was one of the original members of this committee, which was the forerunner of the CIA.

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

– Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Benjamin Franklin also was a member of a committee that opened the mail of other American colonists for intelligence purposes during the Revolutionary War. George Washington had his own spy network.

As one defeated British intelligence officer is often quoted as saying, “Washington did not really outfight the British. He simply out-spied us.” -- George Washington, Spymaster

I guess the truly "patriotic" thing to do today is to blind American intelligence services. I wonder what Benjamin Franklin and George Washington would have thought about that?

Privately, however, Washington could -- and did -- lead by example. In his will, he arranged for all of the slaves he owned to be freed after the death of his wife, Martha. He also left instructions for the continued care and education of some of his former slaves, support and training for all of the children until they came of age, and continuing support for the elderly.

Washington on slavery

It is sometimes helpful not to bash people who were stuck in a system that they sought to improve with as little violence as possible (This didn't end up happening in the US, but in Britain and other European countries slavery was outlawed over time without violence).

Since when has democracy in America not been "for the cash, of the cash, by the cash"? Since the inception of the current state, it was this way. Even our founding fathers, while espousing human freedoms where simulaneously hoarding large groups of rights-less people known as 'negro slaves'. The purpose of those slaves were to help their owners make money. It's always been about the cash. Note that I'm not trying to discredit the founders, just pointing out that the U.S. has never been that imaginary ideal free society. Just being pessimistic.

Negro President
Slave Power
George Washington and Slavery
etc...