Wow. Glenn Greenwald has gotten 10,000 new Twitter followers in the past 3 days or so

[adric mutelovic]

I remember seeing 142,000 as the number of Twitter members following @ggreenwald 3 days ago. Now it's 152,116.

I'm glad to see that social media is giving real journalists the opportunity to be heard en masse by the American public and everyone in the world.

We just did not have access to this type of journalism before the Internet became widely popular. We were stuck with Maureen Dowd writing about blowjobs and George Will making things up. The Guardian discovered Greenwald thanks to his Salon blog.

Long live the Internet.

[Fumesucker]

1. The Guardian discovered Greenwald because of the high decibel screeching that follows his pieces

He certainly has a talent for poking the fire ant mound in an evidently sensitive place, the amount of purely personal venom that follows him is awe inspiring.

[woo me with science]

2. I think he was very wise to move overseas

to continue his reporting on our government. His investigative journalism and focus on the most corrupt and secretive aspects of our government most certainly make him a target.

[Fumesucker]

3. Ironic, innit?

A First Amendment advocate has to move overseas to pursue his vocation.

During a Democratic administration.

[Bolo Boffin]

7. He's currently in Hong Kong.

China, that bastion of free expression.

[Fumesucker]

9. Obama just met with Jinping, no?

[Cali_Democrat]

10. So Obama meeting the Chinese leader means Chinese are more free than Americans?

[Fumesucker]

13. No, it means that even the "leader of the free world" can deal with China and the Chinese

Only Nixon could go to China at one time, those days are over now.

[Cali_Democrat]

14. OK

I misunderstood you

[Summer Hathaway]

11. Let's be accurate, shall we?

From Wikipedia:

"Greenwald is gay, and lives most of the time in Rio de Janeiro, the hometown of his Brazilian partner, David Michael Miranda. In a profile in Out magazine, Greenwald explained that his residence in Brazil is due to the fact that American law, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), bars the federal recognition of same-sex marriages and thus prevents his partner from obtaining immigration rights in the US."

Greenwald did not "have to move overseas" in order to pursue his vocation. He left the country for this personal reason, which he himself has stated.

Not that I blame him for doing so - I would have done the same thing in his circumstances, in order to be with the person I loved.

But let's not pretend that he had to move elsewhere for career reasons, when he has clearly said that his decision to live outside the US was based on something else entirely.

[Fumesucker]

15. Funny how the facts come come out when you think them inconvenient

I've posted that myself, suffice it to say that Greenwald has legitimate reasons based on government policy for living outside the land of the free.

[Summer Hathaway]

16. I don't find the fact

of Greenwald choosing to live outside the US to be 'inconvenient' or otherwise.

In fact, I stated that were I in his circumstances, I would have done the same. In a heartbeat, and without hesitation.

But I do have a problem with your stating that he "had" to leave the States in order to pursue his career - when the fact is, according to his own statements, that he left for other reasons.

[Fumesucker]

20. Not quite, you thought the facts would be inconvenient to me

I've been reading Greenwald for a long time, I've seen the level of vitriol he generates and I don't blame him for not being all that comfortable here in the US.

Cheaper to live abroad than hire the security a controversial public figure needs these days.

[Summer Hathaway]

24. Your original statement was

that he had to move overseas to pursue his vocation.

He didn't 'have to leave' for that reason. He left for personal reasons.

If replacing your non-factual statement with a FACT is an inconvenience for you, so be it.

[Luminous Animal]

21. His reporting is for the Guardian US which is incorporated in the US and has offices in NYC.

[woo me with science]

23. Oh, I didn't realize that. Thanks.

I hope he is very, very careful.

[longship]

4. Plus, he apparently loves him some Ron Paul.

But I will give Greenwald props when he deserves it, however I am not a big fan. In fact, I find him to be a bit off the rails at times. I don't put much trust in what he says because of that. But this is big and I have to pay attention. So he gets props from me here.

But so help me, if any of this ends up being wrong, or trumped up, I will drop him on this like a hot potato. He does not have sufficient credibility with me that I would give a pass on screwing up something this big.

For now, and provisionally, I will pay attention.

[Fumesucker]

6. I tend to have a fondness for anyone who sends the Very Serious People to the fainting couches

And Greenwald's shrill tone causes the Punditubbies to consume smelling salts by the tank truck load.

Greenwald likes to chum the shark tank and I'm easily amused.

I crossed pens with Glenn a couple of times at Salon in his comment section, he's smart and quick but not infallible and tends to be prolix which increases his exposure to error.

[longship]

17. His exposure to error is what concerns me here.

If his sources end up evaporating, or being somehow discredited, I will never listen to the guy again. He doesn't have enough cred with me for me to forgive him fucking up a story this big -- make no mistake, this could be huge.

For his sake, I hope his Guardian editors hold his feet to the fire and keep him in control. For the world's sake, I don't know what to think.

I despise the policies but they have been in place for years and stuff like this has been going on since time immemorial. The latter is not a justification however it maybe the mere reality of human distrust of other humans. I just don't know. Now I am rambling.

Doesn't mean that I like what's happening.

Thanks for your thoughtful response. Much appreciated.

[Luminous Animal]

22. *Snort* Some people forget that this is DU where, presumably, we are smarter

than Freepers and can grasp nuance.

As for the articles... they are straight reporting. I suggest reading them.

[adric mutelovic]

60. Do you mean Greenwald loves every position Ron Paul holds?

Or are you exaggerating?

What is love, in your view?

[longship]

61. I suspect his motives if he is a libertarian.

We do have a Democratic President. I am concerned that he might have an agenda.

His source's story seems more than a bit dodgy, most specifically his history doesn't seem credible, on its face.

There are just too many questions about this whole affair for me to conclude anything about what Greenwald and Snowden are saying. There's something else behind this. I suspect it's something simple -- I won't jump to conclusions.

But Snowden's story seems to be unravelling faster than a WalMart sweater. And that's a very big concern to me.

I suspect that somebody isn't telling the truth.

Under all that are the troubling documents. They are a concern. But, out of context they could be nothing more than what the Obama administration has said.

There's something screwy about the whole thing and I do not have sufficient information to decide how I feel about this.

I need more facts.

[sabrina 1]

26. Well, he insists on sticking to the principles he had during the Bush years. He has not changed

one bit. So it's fun to watch a few on 'our' side, who HAVE changed their principles, display so much anger towards him. He pricks the consciences of those who would like not to be exposed as hypocrites so they are angry when he points out that hypocrisy.

They can't respond intelligently as to why they at one time opposed certain policies, but now support them. I sympathize, that would be a very hard thing to do. Thankfully I, like Greenwald, don't have that problem. I opposed Bush's policies when he was president and I still oppose them.

Otoh, maybe the smear campaign planned by HB Gary against Greenwald (which was revealed when Anonymous hacked into their emails) is the real reason we see the anti-Greenwald contingency even on Democratic forums. It's possible another Contractor got the contract when HB Gary was exposed.

Either way, he has not been silenced, yet. His audience has only grown. The more they go after people, the more popular those people become. How stupid can they be? Had they simply ignored him he would be just another blogger. A mistake they always make, and can't seem to stop themselves.

[limpyhobbler]

5. The internet does have it's good points. nt

[MNBrewer]

8. Greenwald stalker much?

[busterbrown]

12. I honestly ask everyone?

How many of his new twitter followers are right wing ass holes who are trying to find anything they can to bring Obama to his knees..And how many are the same fucking people who never let out a peep when Bush first began this program and flat out lied about it?

[socialist_n_TN]

18. NOT an Obama fan for a lot of reasons, but......

this crossed my mind too.

[Cha]

19. Good question.

[sabrina 1]

27. Oh please, the right wing hates Greenwald, his comment section on his blog is filled with right wing

trolls. They will never forgive him for his daily exposures of Bush's lies and crimes.

Is everything about Obama to some people? Did it ever occur to you that there are some things far more important than politicians, such as attacks on our civil rights? No matter where they are coming from? Did you know that when Bush's spying on the American people was exposed, also by a Whistle Blower, many of his supporters were disgusted with him and made no attempt to defend him? Why? Because they cared in the end, more about their country than about any individual politician.

This nonsense that everything is about Obama is simply ridiculous. It is about something far, far more important and if it's all about a politician to you, then I can't explain it, except to say that it is very sad.

[busterbrown]

33. Oh Bullshit...Right wing creeps will change on dime in order to destroy Obama......

And please link me to right wing supporters who spoke out against Bush..

By the way, your anti- Obama rant does very well on right wing sites......

For me, my life might depend much more on the success of Affordable Healthcare Act and the fact that Medicare remains untouched.. Far more important than my cell phone being tapped for technical info...Which still must be approved by judge before it goes further....Sad that you don’t understand that a President Christi might be very dangerous to ones health around here..

One other thing I hate the Surveillance program...And I hate many other things he supported...
However right now I am at war with the republican party and will not give in an inch..

[sabrina 1]

36. Double bullshit back at you. Right wingers aren't the only ones who will change on a dime.

We are not as naive as we were just a few years ago when we thought that left's opposition to Bush's horrendous policies was based on principles that would not, could not change since they were RIGHT. We have found out that some on the 'left' were not really opposed to Bush's policies after all, it was simply politics for them, same as the right wingers you mentioned.

Yes, I used to be 'at war' with the Republican Party. The PTBs did a good job of making that way more important than paying attention to what was really going on. Just mention a Republican and we all got distracted and involved in going to war with whoever the Republican du jour happened to be.

We ignored the Dems who consistently voted for Bush policies. We ignored many things as we got whipped into a frenzy at the very mention of a Republican. Yes, it worked. While we were 'at war with Republicans, Democrats helped get Glass/Steagal rescinded, Democrats helped Bush pass the Patriot Act, Democrats helped Bush get his illegal wars going etc etc.

People like me nearly stopped speaking to my relatives and friends because they were Republicans, some of us lost lifelong friends and then we realized, what were we thinking, AFTER we saw Clinton who we fought for furiously, hanging out with the 'enemy', the Bush family, Babs claiming he was 'like a son' to them. What a slap in the face that was. Until we realized, it was OUR fault. We didn't realize that as, George Carlin said, 'it's a private club and we ain't in it'.

I am not at war with clowns in the Republican party anymore, that was a waste of time. I fell for it though, but more and more people are no longer falling for it.

Blind partisan is why they get away with what they do. Keeping the country divided makes it possible for them to pass anti-Constitutional laws. They can always count on half the country supporting them.

But some day when extremists on both sides are left to their own devices and the more rational people who actually care more about their country than any politician or party, join forces to put a stop the destruction of this democracy. After we accomplish that we can go back to fighting over politics.

There is no link to people in RL who were former supporters of Bush but outraged over his policies in the end.

The FFs were of different political backgrounds but came together to fight a common enemy. Almost immediately after they won, they were divided by politics again, but they accomplished something great, an ideal worth working and fighting for. THAT is what is now needed, and we are getting closer to having it happen. No more starry-eyed faith in politicians, we are far more realistic now than we were when we helped Democrats win the WH and Congress in 2008.

You use the old 'rant against Obama' mantra, something that has zero effect in an argument here. I don't particularly care one way or the other about politicians, they are only a small part of what is wrong with this country. Since I grew up, over the past few years, I learned that politicians are not who we have to worry about, it is who is funding them that are the problem.

Welcome to DU btw.

[busterbrown]

39. Thanks for the welcome..

I agree with most of what you say but right now the one main concern in my life and I suppose others is the healthcare issue..Even though it might be considered improbable under a republican president and control of the house and Senate a repeal of the Affordable Healthcare Act could become an issue within 4 years..Right now because of the new law, Medicaid dollars have been pumped into our State and since I just turned 62 and my income meets qualifications I no longer have to pay fucking Anthem $500 a month with a $7,000 deductible.

This is life changing and perhaps might be life saving.. So right now I’m at war with the republicans
and won’t give them a single inch.. President Christi, with the House and Senate wrapped up with 2 new
Scalia type S.C. Justices is a nightmare far more dangerous to me( and perhaps millions of others agree) than the fear of my cell being technically tracked...Its a huge issue I agree, but I have to pick and choose my battles...My life is at stake, right now..

[sabrina 1]

40. Do you mind if I ask which state you are in? I ask because my sister has been diagnosed with a

terminal cancer and is in NY. She has had to leave her job and as a result, has lost her HC coverage. She now has to pay over $500 a month, now without a job, for coverage to get the treatment she needs. To do this they have to move from their home as they cannot afford to stay there without her income AND pay for HC. Just wondering if she might be able to get help with this in NY.

I am sorry if you are in a position where your life is at stake and understand completely where you are coming from. We do have to pick our battles, and it's sad that HC is not available to all Americans as it has been in other developed countries where it is considered a right.

Take care and for what it is worth, I doubt they will succeed in repealing the HC Bill.

[busterbrown]

48. I’m in California... Originally fromN.Y.

I recently had a biopsy and everything is clean.. However I have to be vigilant..
I recently shut down my business and now collect social security. The only requirement in this health plan is that you meet only income requirements. My S.S.doesn’t exceed the limit so I am in.. Also and most importantly assets are not in the equation... So no questions about home ownership, IRAS, bank accounts are asked.. It’s in L.A County and its called Healthy Way L..A. I can pick any County facility and
Hospital or Health Clinic and receive any service I need. I can also change facilities if I want..

All funded ny a new influx of medicaid dollars.. I think part of it comes from the state and part from the govt..Best wishes for your sister...Remember I had no Idea that this plan existed and had to go through several operators

Since your sister lost her job... I would call up social services and ask them if there are any options now open because of the new health plan.. I must tell you that between 4 weeks ago( when I first applied) and now there must have been new developments.. They almost were over eager to accept me and gave me pamphlets to pass on to others..

N.Y. I would think would be very similar to L.A.
And please let me be of further assistance if needed

Remember this.. it took me several operators before one told me about the option of Healthy Way.L.A Most of them told me that Medicaid is only for the disabled . So please be relentless...

[sabrina 1]

49. Thank you very much for this information. I will definitely do as you say starting tomorrow.

I would think NY would be similar to Ca also and this would help immensely. Would she have to call Medicaid to get information or some other organization?

I am so glad your biopsy was clean. That must have been a huge relief for you and that you now don't have to worry about coverage, another great relief.

I'm glad you mentioned the initial difficulties so will not allow that to deter her. I have wondered about the new HC Bill since this all happened, but hadn't heard anything here in NY.

I really appreciate this information and sincerely wish you all the best for your future, which I hope will be a long one.

Will let you know what we find out, this would be very important to a lot of people who, due to illness, had to give up their jobs.


'Be relentless' ... thank you, I will

[busterbrown]

54. Hey There...

Just got up...Found the number for N.Y,Medicaid Offices- 212-695-0541.....
I don’t know what County your sister is in but I think thats a key question...
Remember I was first told that you had to be disabled to receive medicaid.. "I than said, you mean there is not a single program to help me,,, I am on S.S. and can’t afford the $500 Anthem plan which includes
a 7000 deductible?”


Remember your sister must call her county’s office......No mention of assets either..

The N’.Y. Medicaid office can probably give you the number of your sister’s county office..



I grew up in Port Washington on Long Island.
Been in Studio City, Ca for 40 yrs.. Wow freaking time flies..

Keep in touch
and my thoughts are with you and your sister...

[woo me with science]

29. I suspect they are Americans outraged about the revelations

of their own government spying on them, and hungry for real investigative journalism on the story rather than the CYA spin in which the corporate PTB will try to drown the media.

[busterbrown]

30. Couldn’t disagree with you more.

Anytime someone from MSM puts out negative Obama information, the right wing immediately gets
an erection. They will quote Greenwald from now through the next 2 election cycles.. Then you can complain about Obama’s compliance with Bush's Surveillance programs to President Christi...

Right now in my life, I am much more fearful of Republican healthcare doctrine and policies on S.S. and Medicare than the fact that my Cell phone might be monitored for tech. information because I might have made 10 calls to Algeria last week..

[woo me with science]

38. "the right wing"

No, this story is about much, much more than " the right wing."

This affects every single American.

[JI7]

31. i'm sure many are, the non political forums have them spewing this crap

they really make it tough to participate in other boards sometimes.

[russspeakeasy]

25. George Will made things up ???

I am appaled......Shocked I tell you, shocked.

[BeyondGeography]

28. The Final Word on Glenn Greenwald (it's not pretty)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/08/1192256/-The-Final-Word-on-Glenn-Greenwald

Three months old but, as other posters have noted, his reporting has historically been far from bulletproof.

[Bonobo]

32. The final word on a shitty analysis more like it. nt

[Hissyspit]

43. Wow, that's terrible. I really actually thought it would be an interesting read.

I've seen Greenwald write things I didn't agree with, and get things wrong, but nothing like that biased mess.

[burnodo]

51. anything printed at Kos is biased

you do realize that

[BeyondGeography]

53. What the piece shows is Greenwald is not first and foremost a journalist

What kind of journalist goes on CNN and says about PRISM: “It’s well past time that we have a debate about whether that’s the kind of country and world in which we want to live”? A fair question, but that's what an agenda-driven commentator says, which is what he is. So no one should be surprised when he runs with innuendo or fits facts to the story he wants to tell, which he has done repeatedly. Or when the story needs to be tweaked and/or re-written, which has already happened here.

[treestar]

58. Runs with innuendo rather than facts

All he knows is what we know: That the President failed to appoint people who would affect change in this area. Out of his disappointment with the result of that process, Greenwald constructs an alternate universe where "Obama" is another word for "government," and the failures thereof all add up to a personal indictment of the morals and motives of the President - a theme that has since become Greenwald's signature. We can't demand journalistic thoroughness in political commentary, but basic respect for reality is not optional when you represent yourself as a voice of truth, reason, and political accountability. The only way to credibly hold a President accountable is to first have some vague incling of what a President is, and be willing to communicate that clearly to an audience. Mr. Greenwald does not do that here, or indeed anywhere: If he does not like the output of a process, he simply lashes out personally at whatever Democrat is most politically prominent regardless of their actual systemic roles.

[treestar]

59. In favor of emoprog stances

in many cases.

[treestar]

57. This from that sums up well

This is an early example of another Greenwald behavior pattern: When he doesn't like the outcome of a process, rather than looking at the process to find out how something happened, he simply makes up a narrative about corrupt motives and weak morals among Democrats to explain it without supporting evidence. He does not appear to seek any deeper or more rational explanation for the output of American politics than to declare that everyone who disappoints him is either a coward, a fool, or a villain.

[alcibiades_mystery]

34. Only a billion to go!

[rug]

35. They all work for the government.

[ucrdem]

37. Green is the new Blond.

James Blond.

[Cha]

42. thanks..

[ucrdem]

46. I know it's wrong

but it feels so good

[Cha]

47. ..

I hardly ever use that puke emoticon but it just seemed so right.

[Hissyspit]

44. Yay. More substancelessness from you.

At least there's no outright lies in this post.

[Whisp]

41. lots of twits out there.

[DevonRex]

45. LOL, I bet.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM_(surveillance_program)

Involvement of other countries

In the United Kingdom, Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) has had access to the PRISM program on or before June 2010 and wrote 197 reports with it in 2012 alone. PRISM allowed GCHQ to circumvent the formal legal process required to seek personal material.[49][50]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UKUSA_Agreement

The United Kingdom – United States of America Agreement (UKUSA, /juːkuːˈsɑː/ ew-koo-sah)[1][2] is a multilateral agreement for cooperation in signals intelligence among the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The alliance of intelligence operations is also known as Five Eyes. It was first signed in March 1946 by the United Kingdom and the United States and later extended to encompass the three Commonwealth realms of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The UKUSA Agreement was a follow-up of the 1943 BRUSA Agreement, the World War II agreement on cooperation over intelligence matters.[3] This was a secret treaty, allegedly so secret that it was kept secret from the Australian Prime Ministers until 1973.[4]
The agreement established an alliance of five English-speaking countries for the purpose of sharing intelligence, especially signals intelligence. It formalized the intelligence sharing agreement in the Atlantic Charter, signed in 1941, before the entry of the U.S. into the conflict.[5] >>snip<<

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UKUSA_Agreement

GLOBAL COVERAGE

Each member of the UKUSA alliance is officially assigned lead responsibility for intelligence collection and analysis in different parts of the globe.

Australia hunts for communications originating in Indochina, Indonesia, and southern China.

Canada
Formerly the northern portions of the former Soviet Union and conducting sweeps of all communications traffic that could be picked up from embassies around the world. In the post-Cold War era, a greater emphasis has been placed on monitoring satellite, radio and cellphone traffic originating from Central and South America, primarily in an effort to track drugs and non-aligned paramilitary groups in the region.

New Zealand
The Waihopai Valley Facility—base of the New Zealand branch of the ECHELON Program.
New Zealand is responsible for the western Pacific. Listening posts in the South Island at Waihopai Valley just south-west of Blenheim, and on the North Island at Tangimoana. The Anti-Bases Campaign holds regular protests in order to have the listening posts closed down.

United Kingdom.
Europe, Africa, and European Russia.

United States
Monitors most of Latin America, Asia, Asiatic Russia, and northern China.

[dionysus]

50. now now, don't upset the GeeGees....

[DevonRex]

55. ana 1 ana 2

[URL=http://gifsoup.com/view/1197831/polka.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://gifsoup.com]GIFSoup[/URL]

It's Sunday. They prefer polkas on a Sunday.

[closeupready]

56. Greenwald, IMO, has just gotten better and better over time.

I'm not sure what the expression is, but he's like an anchor of good judgment in a time when it's hard to discern who is on our side and who isn't.