It's the President's job to put US interests above all others. This is neither unique nor a surprise. In this case the rational to step in and allow the imports is that they want to limit the harm to the consumer. That's a reasonable and good enough reason. At least it sounds good. Meanwhile this whole mess is costing both Apple and Samsung a lot of money but who cares? These 2 companies are hardly strapped for cash. The competition between these 2 companies is good for the consumer. Corporate competition of any type is good for the consumer. And who cares about some foreign companies thinking the US is too expensive to operate in. The sooner they leave the sooner the jobs farmed out come back to the US. Which has already started in some industries. The US rising energy production will make it cheaper to operate and attracting all types of companies. Of course there are a lot of companies who chose to operate in the US just to avoid all the bullshit regulations and directives constantly being spewed from the EU. And if necessary it is cheaper to bribe the US government because when it comes to bribery, political, and payoffs the EU, China, and Russia are way more expensive.
The point I was trying to make is that the US does indeed have policies and activities that deserve scrutiny. However the real problems and issues are being drowned out by all the patently false accusations and wild exaggerations leveled against it. From the very beginning Snowden would have received all his rights as a US citizen if taken into custody. Instead he is floating the idea that his life would be in danger if he was remanded into US custody. The high visibility alone would have guaranteed that the US government could not just disappear him or send him to Gitmo. And if the US government was as nefarious as some people think they could have used Snowdens friends family still living in the US as leverage. That's how China handles these types of issues. The last guy the US granted asylum to from China required the US to grant his entire family asylum to ensure their safety which China eventually agreed to.
I am sure someone would miss the person disappeared by the government. Unless you believe the government is disappearing people along with all their friends and families"
"Whether this does or does not happen can only be guessed at by looking at general behavior"
And here is the main problem. You can't prove the government is actually killing or disappearing people because of their political stances so you generalize and try to justify your statements and opinions using by trying to predict future behavior. And if you need to use the Ruby Ridge incident to support your opinion that the government is killing political dissidents, journalists, and even leakers is weak. The FBI was going after a white supremist
Manning could have faced a jury of his peers but decided to go the single judge route. It was his choice. Manning did not deserve to spend the rest of his life in jail and it looks like the judge recognized that fact to help reduce his sentence. He will probably get 10 years with credit for time served and released in 6 years. Snowdens case is a different animal. He has admitted taking his job for the express purpose of stealing information. That comes very close to meeting the definition of espionage. His subsequent threats to release further data on activities that have nothing to do with the US survelliance programs. This comes close to guaranteeing that the US government will do all they can to disrupt his life no matter where he is living. His asylum applications stating he is facing execution in the US is 100% bullshit. Where is the evidence of the US government executing someone for political purposes. Is there any proof at all that the US government has a habit of disappearing journalists or political activists? What's really bad is he has taken on all this trouble and achieved nothing. The surveillance and FISA courts are not secret and anyone claiming they didn't know really must not be paying attention. The politicians standing up and saying they didn't know about these programs are displaying the incompetence we have all witnessed over the years. And all the foreign countries who are acting surprised and offended that US intelligence agencies actually spy shows the idiocy of politicians is a truly global phenomenon.
"When I use the word "unconstitutional," I simply mean that the government's actions violate the constitution."
Once again is something unconstitutional just because you say so? The free speech zones were created to minimize the disruption for those not participating in the protests (ie. snarling traffic as one example). Most importantly it was created for security purposes. Large and rowdy crowds forming around top politicians or VIP's are extremely difficult to secure. You are just one suicide vest away from death and carnage. You are still free to speak your mind and carry on with your protest and in no way does this prevent you from exercising your constitutional rights. Free speech doesn't mean you have the right to speak your mind nose to nose. The TSA is a response to the events of 9/11. A large majority of people wanted the government to do something to prevent any similar events in the future. Sure it's a gigantic pain in the ass and I personally don't care if they closed down the TSA today but the US citizens did want the government to bolster the security in air travel. Reverting back to the previous security procedures prior to 9/11 would be fine.
"Lots of people's rights were violated"
Once again you are defining what is and what is not constitutional based solely on your opinion. You are also making an unsubstantiated statement about the government invoking secrecy to prevent someone from getting a fair trial. Find one example of someone being convicted of a crime using "secret" evidence. One reason Gitmo is still holding people is that any prosecution would require the government to produce all the evidence to support the charges and they do not want to do that. However the Gitmo inmates are not US citizens so they are not automatically granted the same rights of a US citizen. Currently this situation has not been definitely settled.
" standard practice and in the past the judiciary has struck down laws they found wanting"
This has happened quite a few times. There has also been constitutional amendments made when the existing constitution was found wanting.
Next time I will use simpler words to aid in your comprehension. And exactly what way is the government violating the constitution? I don't recall seeing any of the government programs being declared illegal in a judicial proceeding. In the future it may happen but someone will have initiate a court case to enable an in depth judicial review. Or is something unconstitutional just because you say so? Laws are made and passed by the executive and legislative branches which may be vetted by legal experts prior to submitting and passing any changes in the law but until it is tested by the Judicial branch in a real world case you can't definitively state the law is unconstitutional. Some one who feels their rights are being violated or someone who has suffered harm will need to contest the charges and laws in court. This is standard practice and in the past the judiciary has struck down laws they found wanting. There are 2 well publicized cases where the defendants were charged with crimes under the Patriot Act and in each case the judiciary declared the Patriot Act provisions were unenforceable and the charges against the defendants were dropped. Why do you think Gitmo exists? The government knows if they were to attempt to try the inmates at Gitmo in the US judicial system the entire Patriot Act could be nullified.
Society is always changing. Sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a bad way. Laws and acceptable behavioral standards also change with the society and the laws and rules that govern the society need to be reviewed and updated to keep pace.
The US Constitution has always been and will continue to be a work in process. The original writers had no conception of how much life would change through time due to technological progression. Computer technology alone would look like magic to someone living in 1776. Collecting data is not in itself a violation of constitutional rights. It's how the data is used against the citizenry that counts and the harm caused by the use of such data. Electronic surveillance is not limited to just the government and right now private companies and determined criminals represent more of a danger than the government.
I did not say anything about abolishing the government. I proposed closing or scaling back down those programs that people seem to be upset about. And the Judiciary is part of the government but all those loudly protesting the security programs do not seem to know. If anyone is charged with a crime under the Patriot Act or have had the government use data collected without a warrant it will give the Judiciary the power to either validate or repudiate the governments actions. The Executive and Legislative branches can pass any laws they like but the Judiciary has the last word. If people would read up on the FISA program they would discover that there is a specific clause in the FISA Act that prohibits the government from using the information collected in a criminal prosecution and also prohibits the government from using the data in a Grand Jury.
No, we evidently do not want the "government" to protect us. I'm willing to take my chances and look out for myself if I need to. Terrorism has never terrorized me in the slightest. Chances are greater that you will be killed in an auto accident then by any terrorist attack. Close the TSA down and put an end to FISA warrants and data collecting from the Internet and other electronic sources. Cut the NSA and CIA budgets forcing them to stop many of the programs they are currently running. Then and only then will be able to accurately gauge how dangerous the world can sometimes get and what means we would like to use protect ourselves. The baseline security measures are provided by having the best armed citizenry and military in the world. The "government" is currently being demonized for things that they MIGHT do in the future if they are allowed to continue their spy programs. If any thing similar to 9/11 happens the people arguing the loudest against the governments security programs will be the first ones to declare it is the governments fault and demand to know why they were not doing anything to stop it. Mean while the private sector is currently collecting data to sell to the highest bidder without pause. Criminals are currently trying to collect data for their own illegal schemes. These 2 dangers are not speculative they are currently very real. And one final thing. If you are a US citizen the government has had the means to gather your personal information for a very long time. Tax returns, drivers license, property ownership, SSN, bank accounts, marriage licenses, education history, professional history, and a ton of other shit that people release without concern provide more than enough information to profile and track down an individual.
One hurdle for those filing the lawsuits will be trying to prove the data collection programs have actually harmed anyone. Most of the arguments today contain words such as if's, possibly, might, or in the future. The government will need to prove that these programs have had any positive effect in regards to the stated purpose of national defense. The easiest resolution would be for the government to end or at least scale back these programs. Of course it would be difficult to tell if the government actually ends the programs.
Calling it a concentration camp just exposes your total ignorance on the subject. It is comparisons such as this that distort history and hide the true horrors people suffered in real concentration camps. And I did not defend Gitmo. I just offered a couple of suggestions on how it could be closed down fairly quickly. You really need improve your history and reading comprehension skill set.
All the politicians in the EU were quite vocal about US spying activities until their respective intelligence agencies took them aside and explained that they were doing the same thing and routinely request US collected data for their own purposes. It seems the whole world is in shock after learning that intelligence agencies actually spy. I wish the people "leaking information" would leak something about what really happened in Roswell, NM and who really killed JFK. Think of the mayhem that information would unleash.
It may be a fairy tale answer but it would definitely solve the problem and allow the government to close Gitmo and take one more step to on the path of disengagement from that region of the world. As a compromise I would suggest they can ditch the parachute solution and actually land and drop them off where they were originally picked up. The US doesn't seem to have any difficulties removing someone from a foreign state so surely dropping off people regardless of what the receiving state thinks is doable. However, keep in mind that the "Professional Protesters" would incur the expense of making new protest signs and bumper stickers. ("Professional Protesters" are those who do nothing but protest but never offer up a viable solution to correct whatever they are protesting about.)
They need to take all the remaining inmates, strap a parachute on each one, and then air drop them where they were captured. That would alleviate the problem they are having with finding countries willing to take in the prisoners.
You really need to appreciate the scale when advocating a company or government to migrate to another OS. Replacing all internal and customer targeted applications is a big job. The time and costs for even a small to medium sized company is a guaranteed budget buster. Re-training the users, re-training the existing IT staff, and hiring the new IT staff needed to support and develop on the new platform is also as huge undertaking. If you do spend the money and time you will soon realize that you are no safer than you were on your old OS. 99% of all malware and similar attack vectors are the result of poor system administration and social engineering to trick users into opening the door for an attack.
Everyone on the planet over the age of 10 have the potential to become terrorist or criminals. You are taking a position that is only supported by using speculating about future abuses of the data collected. Can you see into the future? Do you have any current proof that the government has misused this information and as a result brought harm to a US citizen. Snowden only let you know "what is really going on" because you evidently have not been paying attention. PRISM, and similar programs, along with FISA warrants were first disclosed about 11 years ago (FISA actually goes back further). Your keyword examples would still flag millions of hits a day and the government does not have the manpower to follow-up on. If you are charged with a crime any average attorney can contest the admissibility of any evidence collected by these programs. The government has tried to convict people by using evidence collected under the Patriot Act and the courts have disallowed the evidence in 2 high profile cases. The executive branch and legislative branches of the government can pass any laws they like but the Judicial branch has the last word and can strike down any of these laws when tested in court. That is when you really find out if your rights have been violated. So as soon as someone is actually charged with a crime using data collected by the NSA programs the legitimacy and legality of the programs is still very much unresolved. Personally I am more worried about companies collecting my internet usage data and criminals collecting banking and credit card information or other personal data. These actions are happening right now so there is no need to speculate about future events.
The US did not stop or search the plane. The countries denying airspace also admitted the US did not request any such action. If the US really wanted this guy what makes anyone think Venezuela or Bolivia can stop a military snatch and grab? The US certainly had no qualms about going into Pakistan to get what they wanted and Pakistan has nuclear weapons and a sizable army backed up by armed militants spread across the country just looking to kill an American. If Snowden returned to the US he would have a very public trial where his guilt would be assessed. He cannot be disappeared. He would have an opportunity to go before a jury and make his case. If his actions and intentions are so admirable it should be no problem getting the jury to find him not guilty. However, if he keeps releasing information about US foreign intelligence operations that have nothing to do with capturing data of US citizens he will be seen and treated as a traitor to his country. He is undoing any good that he may have achieved with outing the US domestic spying programs. Those looking to put his head on a spike would bolster their arguments and criticisms.
I would really like to know why all those who have been hyperventilating over this thinks the government or anyone else for that matter gives a shit who you call or e-mail. Looking at the amount of complaints about the government intelligence programs you would think everyone was planning a revolution and their nefarious plans have just been compromised. The phone companies have always been collecting call data to bill you and companies like Verizon have been selling call and location data to 3rd parties. Google has been tracking your every click on the Internet and selling the information to the highest bidder. Why you are worried about a government so incompetent that their supposedly super secret clandestine operations are public knowledge and have been for sometime. How effective is PRISM if the government needs to get the information from the phone companies? If they are supposedly tapping the major trunk lines and siphoning off all the data why do they need to ask anyone else for data? There are BILLIONS of calls, e-mails, and other electronic messages sent every day and the government does not even come close to having the manpower needed to follow-up on everything flagged suspicious. Even the most specific filters and keyword algorithms are going to generate millions of possible hits everyday. Unless they have a HAL9000 most of the data being collected is never even looked at by anyone.
Conspiracy theories are the refuge for those who make up and shape facts to support their pre-determined view of the world. Supporters of conspiracy theories are so persistent, obnoxious, loud, and widespread that facts become irrelevant. News organizations, both large and small, as well as blogs and online discussion forums publish opinions mixed with a few facts often taking out of context. The Internet has made it easier to exchange ideas, spread knowledge, and provide freedom of expression. However it's turned into a tool for spreading propaganda, polarizing hatreds, collecting consumer data, and raising the level of animosity all across the world. More than few people honestly believe "I read it on the Internet so it must be true!". People flock to websites where their beliefs and opinions are validated and justified and ignore any other websites that might offer a different viewpoint. The echo chamber effect is overwhelming common sense at an alarming rate. With today's 15 minute new cycle and people trying to justify their opinions in under 140 characters also results less fact checking and doesn't provide the time necessary to formulate and fact check a reasoned argument. Large media networks attempt some fact checking because they are highly visible but they do a poor job under today's time limits. Sometimes they may offer up a retraction and correction if caught reporting something that is proven false but most times they don't. Privately operated Web sites offering up news and opinions are not highly visible or associated with a big company and can publish anything they want without fear of a backlash or loss of credibility.
If you have even a little experience or you are just out of school and can't find a decent paying IT job then you are not looking very hard. I have been on the industry for 27 years and every single year I have increased my income. Of course the increases were bigger at the beginning of my career but even now it grows a couple thousand dollars a year. Ihave hired a lot of people over the years and they have all ran from people with no experience in the particular skillset I was looking for but came across as willing to learn new things. I have also had to search for new hires at the top end IT experience and salary levels. Your free trade and over printed money rant is evidence you have bought into all naysayers bullshit about anything related to the US being bad. Sure the US has lost manufacturing jobs but is it is still the #1 manufacturer in the world. Some jobs were lost over seas but most of them were lost to advances in automation and better manufacturing processes. The US manufacturing sector got a huge head start on the rest of the world after WW2. It's taking awhile but as other countries start getting their economies going it is only natural that some US manufacturing jobs are lost in an attempt to balance the worlds economies when possible. Unless you are a supporter of trade and tariffs that penalize goods manufactured outside of the US. They tried that back in the 1920's and things didn't quite work out now did they? And now there are European and Japanese companies who have actually been building new plants in the US. Lower energy costs in the US will continue to attract manufacturers to setting up shop in the US. The benefits of overseas manufacturing are shrinking. China's main pillar in their economic policy has been low prices not quality or innovation. China's strategy of lowering the cost of their exports by under paying it's workers and manipulating it's currency is disappearing. China has built up a growing middle class due to their growing economy and this newly empowered sector of society is raising internal consumer spending which has led to increased inflation rates which the government is trying to paper over. Economic trends go up and down. People have been projecting China's economic growth using only best case scenarios and assuming that the Chinese have figured out something no other country on the planet has thought of to keep their economy in a perpetual upward spiral. So if you are unhappy with your lot in life why don't you go out and put a little more effort into bettering your personal situation instead of standing around complaining and waiting for some magical government initiative to set everything right.
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It's the President's job to put US interests above all others. This is neither unique nor a surprise. In this case the rational to step in and allow the imports is that they want to limit the harm to the consumer. That's a reasonable and good enough reason. At least it sounds good. Meanwhile this whole mess is costing both Apple and Samsung a lot of money but who cares? These 2 companies are hardly strapped for cash. The competition between these 2 companies is good for the consumer. Corporate competition of any type is good for the consumer. And who cares about some foreign companies thinking the US is too expensive to operate in. The sooner they leave the sooner the jobs farmed out come back to the US. Which has already started in some industries. The US rising energy production will make it cheaper to operate and attracting all types of companies. Of course there are a lot of companies who chose to operate in the US just to avoid all the bullshit regulations and directives constantly being spewed from the EU. And if necessary it is cheaper to bribe the US government because when it comes to bribery, political, and payoffs the EU, China, and Russia are way more expensive.
The point I was trying to make is that the US does indeed have policies and activities that deserve scrutiny. However the real problems and issues are being drowned out by all the patently false accusations and wild exaggerations leveled against it. From the very beginning Snowden would have received all his rights as a US citizen if taken into custody. Instead he is floating the idea that his life would be in danger if he was remanded into US custody. The high visibility alone would have guaranteed that the US government could not just disappear him or send him to Gitmo. And if the US government was as nefarious as some people think they could have used Snowdens friends family still living in the US as leverage. That's how China handles these types of issues. The last guy the US granted asylum to from China required the US to grant his entire family asylum to ensure their safety which China eventually agreed to.
I am sure someone would miss the person disappeared by the government. Unless you believe the government is disappearing people along with all their friends and families"
"Whether this does or does not happen can only be guessed at by looking at general behavior"
And here is the main problem. You can't prove the government is actually killing or disappearing people because of their political stances so you generalize and try to justify your statements and opinions using by trying to predict future behavior. And if you need to use the Ruby Ridge incident to support your opinion that the government is killing political dissidents, journalists, and even leakers is weak. The FBI was going after a white supremist
Manning could have faced a jury of his peers but decided to go the single judge route. It was his choice. Manning did not deserve to spend the rest of his life in jail and it looks like the judge recognized that fact to help reduce his sentence. He will probably get 10 years with credit for time served and released in 6 years. Snowdens case is a different animal. He has admitted taking his job for the express purpose of stealing information. That comes very close to meeting the definition of espionage. His subsequent threats to release further data on activities that have nothing to do with the US survelliance programs. This comes close to guaranteeing that the US government will do all they can to disrupt his life no matter where he is living. His asylum applications stating he is facing execution in the US is 100% bullshit. Where is the evidence of the US government executing someone for political purposes. Is there any proof at all that the US government has a habit of disappearing journalists or political activists? What's really bad is he has taken on all this trouble and achieved nothing. The surveillance and FISA courts are not secret and anyone claiming they didn't know really must not be paying attention. The politicians standing up and saying they didn't know about these programs are displaying the incompetence we have all witnessed over the years. And all the foreign countries who are acting surprised and offended that US intelligence agencies actually spy shows the idiocy of politicians is a truly global phenomenon.
Skills? He was a system admin with physical access and the list of admin passwords.
"When I use the word "unconstitutional," I simply mean that the government's actions violate the constitution."
Once again is something unconstitutional just because you say so? The free speech zones were created to minimize the disruption for those not participating in the protests (ie. snarling traffic as one example). Most importantly it was created for security purposes. Large and rowdy crowds forming around top politicians or VIP's are extremely difficult to secure. You are just one suicide vest away from death and carnage. You are still free to speak your mind and carry on with your protest and in no way does this prevent you from exercising your constitutional rights. Free speech doesn't mean you have the right to speak your mind nose to nose. The TSA is a response to the events of 9/11. A large majority of people wanted the government to do something to prevent any similar events in the future. Sure it's a gigantic pain in the ass and I personally don't care if they closed down the TSA today but the US citizens did want the government to bolster the security in air travel. Reverting back to the previous security procedures prior to 9/11 would be fine.
"Lots of people's rights were violated"
Once again you are defining what is and what is not constitutional based solely on your opinion. You are also making an unsubstantiated statement about the government invoking secrecy to prevent someone from getting a fair trial. Find one example of someone being convicted of a crime using "secret" evidence. One reason Gitmo is still holding people is that any prosecution would require the government to produce all the evidence to support the charges and they do not want to do that. However the Gitmo inmates are not US citizens so they are not automatically granted the same rights of a US citizen. Currently this situation has not been definitely settled.
" standard practice and in the past the judiciary has struck down laws they found wanting"
This has happened quite a few times. There has also been constitutional amendments made when the existing constitution was found wanting.
Next time I will use simpler words to aid in your comprehension. And exactly what way is the government violating the constitution? I don't recall seeing any of the government programs being declared illegal in a judicial proceeding. In the future it may happen but someone will have initiate a court case to enable an in depth judicial review. Or is something unconstitutional just because you say so? Laws are made and passed by the executive and legislative branches which may be vetted by legal experts prior to submitting and passing any changes in the law but until it is tested by the Judicial branch in a real world case you can't definitively state the law is unconstitutional. Some one who feels their rights are being violated or someone who has suffered harm will need to contest the charges and laws in court. This is standard practice and in the past the judiciary has struck down laws they found wanting. There are 2 well publicized cases where the defendants were charged with crimes under the Patriot Act and in each case the judiciary declared the Patriot Act provisions were unenforceable and the charges against the defendants were dropped. Why do you think Gitmo exists? The government knows if they were to attempt to try the inmates at Gitmo in the US judicial system the entire Patriot Act could be nullified.
Society is always changing. Sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a bad way. Laws and acceptable behavioral standards also change with the society and the laws and rules that govern the society need to be reviewed and updated to keep pace.
The US Constitution has always been and will continue to be a work in process. The original writers had no conception of how much life would change through time due to technological progression. Computer technology alone would look like magic to someone living in 1776. Collecting data is not in itself a violation of constitutional rights. It's how the data is used against the citizenry that counts and the harm caused by the use of such data. Electronic surveillance is not limited to just the government and right now private companies and determined criminals represent more of a danger than the government.
I did not say anything about abolishing the government. I proposed closing or scaling back down those programs that people seem to be upset about. And the Judiciary is part of the government but all those loudly protesting the security programs do not seem to know. If anyone is charged with a crime under the Patriot Act or have had the government use data collected without a warrant it will give the Judiciary the power to either validate or repudiate the governments actions. The Executive and Legislative branches can pass any laws they like but the Judiciary has the last word. If people would read up on the FISA program they would discover that there is a specific clause in the FISA Act that prohibits the government from using the information collected in a criminal prosecution and also prohibits the government from using the data in a Grand Jury.
No, we evidently do not want the "government" to protect us. I'm willing to take my chances and look out for myself if I need to. Terrorism has never terrorized me in the slightest. Chances are greater that you will be killed in an auto accident then by any terrorist attack. Close the TSA down and put an end to FISA warrants and data collecting from the Internet and other electronic sources. Cut the NSA and CIA budgets forcing them to stop many of the programs they are currently running. Then and only then will be able to accurately gauge how dangerous the world can sometimes get and what means we would like to use protect ourselves. The baseline security measures are provided by having the best armed citizenry and military in the world. The "government" is currently being demonized for things that they MIGHT do in the future if they are allowed to continue their spy programs. If any thing similar to 9/11 happens the people arguing the loudest against the governments security programs will be the first ones to declare it is the governments fault and demand to know why they were not doing anything to stop it. Mean while the private sector is currently collecting data to sell to the highest bidder without pause. Criminals are currently trying to collect data for their own illegal schemes. These 2 dangers are not speculative they are currently very real. And one final thing. If you are a US citizen the government has had the means to gather your personal information for a very long time. Tax returns, drivers license, property ownership, SSN, bank accounts, marriage licenses, education history, professional history, and a ton of other shit that people release without concern provide more than enough information to profile and track down an individual.
So MS didn't hire you? Now wonder judging by the ignorance displayed in your post.
One hurdle for those filing the lawsuits will be trying to prove the data collection programs have actually harmed anyone. Most of the arguments today contain words such as if's, possibly, might, or in the future. The government will need to prove that these programs have had any positive effect in regards to the stated purpose of national defense. The easiest resolution would be for the government to end or at least scale back these programs. Of course it would be difficult to tell if the government actually ends the programs.
Maybe the Cubans were just returning the weapons because they didn't meet their requirements.
In the Cuban missile crisis Russia was delivering missiles TO Cuba. In this case the missiles were being sent to NK FROM Cuba.
Calling it a concentration camp just exposes your total ignorance on the subject. It is comparisons such as this that distort history and hide the true horrors people suffered in real concentration camps. And I did not defend Gitmo. I just offered a couple of suggestions on how it could be closed down fairly quickly. You really need improve your history and reading comprehension skill set.
All the politicians in the EU were quite vocal about US spying activities until their respective intelligence agencies took them aside and explained that they were doing the same thing and routinely request US collected data for their own purposes. It seems the whole world is in shock after learning that intelligence agencies actually spy. I wish the people "leaking information" would leak something about what really happened in Roswell, NM and who really killed JFK. Think of the mayhem that information would unleash.
It may be a fairy tale answer but it would definitely solve the problem and allow the government to close Gitmo and take one more step to on the path of disengagement from that region of the world. As a compromise I would suggest they can ditch the parachute solution and actually land and drop them off where they were originally picked up. The US doesn't seem to have any difficulties removing someone from a foreign state so surely dropping off people regardless of what the receiving state thinks is doable. However, keep in mind that the "Professional Protesters" would incur the expense of making new protest signs and bumper stickers. ("Professional Protesters" are those who do nothing but protest but never offer up a viable solution to correct whatever they are protesting about.)
They need to take all the remaining inmates, strap a parachute on each one, and then air drop them where they were captured. That would alleviate the problem they are having with finding countries willing to take in the prisoners.
You really need to appreciate the scale when advocating a company or government to migrate to another OS. Replacing all internal and customer targeted applications is a big job. The time and costs for even a small to medium sized company is a guaranteed budget buster. Re-training the users, re-training the existing IT staff, and hiring the new IT staff needed to support and develop on the new platform is also as huge undertaking. If you do spend the money and time you will soon realize that you are no safer than you were on your old OS. 99% of all malware and similar attack vectors are the result of poor system administration and social engineering to trick users into opening the door for an attack.
Everyone on the planet over the age of 10 have the potential to become terrorist or criminals. You are taking a position that is only supported by using speculating about future abuses of the data collected. Can you see into the future? Do you have any current proof that the government has misused this information and as a result brought harm to a US citizen. Snowden only let you know "what is really going on" because you evidently have not been paying attention. PRISM, and similar programs, along with FISA warrants were first disclosed about 11 years ago (FISA actually goes back further). Your keyword examples would still flag millions of hits a day and the government does not have the manpower to follow-up on. If you are charged with a crime any average attorney can contest the admissibility of any evidence collected by these programs. The government has tried to convict people by using evidence collected under the Patriot Act and the courts have disallowed the evidence in 2 high profile cases. The executive branch and legislative branches of the government can pass any laws they like but the Judicial branch has the last word and can strike down any of these laws when tested in court. That is when you really find out if your rights have been violated. So as soon as someone is actually charged with a crime using data collected by the NSA programs the legitimacy and legality of the programs is still very much unresolved. Personally I am more worried about companies collecting my internet usage data and criminals collecting banking and credit card information or other personal data. These actions are happening right now so there is no need to speculate about future events.
The US did not stop or search the plane. The countries denying airspace also admitted the US did not request any such action. If the US really wanted this guy what makes anyone think Venezuela or Bolivia can stop a military snatch and grab? The US certainly had no qualms about going into Pakistan to get what they wanted and Pakistan has nuclear weapons and a sizable army backed up by armed militants spread across the country just looking to kill an American. If Snowden returned to the US he would have a very public trial where his guilt would be assessed. He cannot be disappeared. He would have an opportunity to go before a jury and make his case. If his actions and intentions are so admirable it should be no problem getting the jury to find him not guilty. However, if he keeps releasing information about US foreign intelligence operations that have nothing to do with capturing data of US citizens he will be seen and treated as a traitor to his country. He is undoing any good that he may have achieved with outing the US domestic spying programs. Those looking to put his head on a spike would bolster their arguments and criticisms.
I would really like to know why all those who have been hyperventilating over this thinks the government or anyone else for that matter gives a shit who you call or e-mail. Looking at the amount of complaints about the government intelligence programs you would think everyone was planning a revolution and their nefarious plans have just been compromised. The phone companies have always been collecting call data to bill you and companies like Verizon have been selling call and location data to 3rd parties. Google has been tracking your every click on the Internet and selling the information to the highest bidder. Why you are worried about a government so incompetent that their supposedly super secret clandestine operations are public knowledge and have been for sometime. How effective is PRISM if the government needs to get the information from the phone companies? If they are supposedly tapping the major trunk lines and siphoning off all the data why do they need to ask anyone else for data? There are BILLIONS of calls, e-mails, and other electronic messages sent every day and the government does not even come close to having the manpower needed to follow-up on everything flagged suspicious. Even the most specific filters and keyword algorithms are going to generate millions of possible hits everyday. Unless they have a HAL9000 most of the data being collected is never even looked at by anyone.
Conspiracy theories are the refuge for those who make up and shape facts to support their pre-determined view of the world. Supporters of conspiracy theories are so persistent, obnoxious, loud, and widespread that facts become irrelevant. News organizations, both large and small, as well as blogs and online discussion forums publish opinions mixed with a few facts often taking out of context. The Internet has made it easier to exchange ideas, spread knowledge, and provide freedom of expression. However it's turned into a tool for spreading propaganda, polarizing hatreds, collecting consumer data, and raising the level of animosity all across the world. More than few people honestly believe "I read it on the Internet so it must be true!". People flock to websites where their beliefs and opinions are validated and justified and ignore any other websites that might offer a different viewpoint. The echo chamber effect is overwhelming common sense at an alarming rate. With today's 15 minute new cycle and people trying to justify their opinions in under 140 characters also results less fact checking and doesn't provide the time necessary to formulate and fact check a reasoned argument. Large media networks attempt some fact checking because they are highly visible but they do a poor job under today's time limits. Sometimes they may offer up a retraction and correction if caught reporting something that is proven false but most times they don't. Privately operated Web sites offering up news and opinions are not highly visible or associated with a big company and can publish anything they want without fear of a backlash or loss of credibility.
If you have even a little experience or you are just out of school and can't find a decent paying IT job then you are not looking very hard. I have been on the industry for 27 years and every single year I have increased my income. Of course the increases were bigger at the beginning of my career but even now it grows a couple thousand dollars a year. Ihave hired a lot of people over the years and they have all ran from people with no experience in the particular skillset I was looking for but came across as willing to learn new things. I have also had to search for new hires at the top end IT experience and salary levels. Your free trade and over printed money rant is evidence you have bought into all naysayers bullshit about anything related to the US being bad. Sure the US has lost manufacturing jobs but is it is still the #1 manufacturer in the world. Some jobs were lost over seas but most of them were lost to advances in automation and better manufacturing processes. The US manufacturing sector got a huge head start on the rest of the world after WW2. It's taking awhile but as other countries start getting their economies going it is only natural that some US manufacturing jobs are lost in an attempt to balance the worlds economies when possible. Unless you are a supporter of trade and tariffs that penalize goods manufactured outside of the US. They tried that back in the 1920's and things didn't quite work out now did they? And now there are European and Japanese companies who have actually been building new plants in the US. Lower energy costs in the US will continue to attract manufacturers to setting up shop in the US. The benefits of overseas manufacturing are shrinking. China's main pillar in their economic policy has been low prices not quality or innovation. China's strategy of lowering the cost of their exports by under paying it's workers and manipulating it's currency is disappearing. China has built up a growing middle class due to their growing economy and this newly empowered sector of society is raising internal consumer spending which has led to increased inflation rates which the government is trying to paper over. Economic trends go up and down. People have been projecting China's economic growth using only best case scenarios and assuming that the Chinese have figured out something no other country on the planet has thought of to keep their economy in a perpetual upward spiral. So if you are unhappy with your lot in life why don't you go out and put a little more effort into bettering your personal situation instead of standing around complaining and waiting for some magical government initiative to set everything right.