[smtddr]

>>but all of the Republicans/conservatives in my extended family think that all of this NSA stuff is A Big Deal(tm) and think Snowden a patriotic hero (presumably because they think that it paints the Obama administration in a bad light, which they are always all for.)

I'm glad there are republicans/conservatives that are against what NSA is doing because it supports my wild theory[1] about what would happen if things finally reach a boiling point.

I'm not glad that they hold Obama responsible for something that probably started before he showed up and he probably doesn't have absolute power to shutdown.

Of course, I'm not happy that Obama publicly defends NSA's behavior. Since he doesn't need to be re-elected, I'm assuming the opinions he has these days are truly his own without any other motive. That hurts. :(

1. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7003678

[twoodfin]

I'm not glad that they hold Obama responsible for something that probably started before he showed up and he probably doesn't have absolute power to shutdown.

I'm sure you're right about the genesis of many NSA programs predating January, 2009, but as a practical matter, President Obama has the absolute authority to stop any of these programs as soon as he would like. It literally is as simple as asking General Alexander to the Oval Office, requesting a list of all current programs with a more or less detailed summary of their goals and methods, then ordering the General to end those programs the President finds unacceptable. Were General Alexander for some bizarre reason to refuse a direct order from his Commander in Chief, he could be fired immediately and his deputy given the same order.

For some reason, some people seem unwilling to accept that we do not live in a parliamentary system: The President has powers that cannot be suspended or absorbed by Congress, no matter how many laws they pass. There are certainly avenues for oversight, as well as budgetary, judicial and other checks on those powers, but the execution of national security policy is up to the guy in the White House. You're not just electing a speech-maker and bill-signer, you're electing an executive. Vote accordingly.

[wooter]

> he probably doesn't have absolute power to shutdown

He absolutely does. He could also pardon snowden. He could also fire clapper or even just not appoint him to the panel investigating the whole issue.

He took an Oath after all.

[bostonpete]

> Since he doesn't need to be re-elected, I'm assuming the opinions he has these days are truly his own without any other motive. That hurts. :(

If you believe he's doing it because it's what he believes is best for the country, that's the best you can hope for I guess. He's a smart guy, with an appreciation of the Constitution, and a lot more information available to him than the vast majority of people on any issue put before him. Given that he's not up for re-election again, I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt on his motivations in his second term.

That's not to say that I agree with every thing he does, just that I take comfort in knowing that he's relatively unencumbered at this point.

[danbmil99]

Any president would act thusly. He doesn't think he will abuse the power, and closing down the programs could risk him being blamed for any and all bad guy stuff for the rest of his term.

There is no upside for someone with power to ever give it up, for any reason at all. I'm still trying to figure out Gorbachev.

[MrZongle2]

I'm not glad that they hold Obama responsible for something that probably started before he showed up and he probably doesn't have absolute power to shutdown.

What one President can create without the involvement of the other two branches of government, his successor has the power to dismantle.

[CamperBob2]

It's not always that easy. Yes, any branch of government -- legislative, executive, or judicial -- has the authority to shut these programs down. But you can rest assured that the first people the NSA spied on were the politicians and judges who might try to stop them.

What happened to Eliot Spitzer didn't involve the NSA specifically, but I'm sure the lesson wasn't lost on anyone.