Does the 1%-99% dichotomy help to explain or further obfuscate L'Affaire Snowden?

[HardTimes99]

I've not seen much class-based analysis of L'Affaire Snowden and I thought I would put this out there for DU to chew on.

To me, Snowden is a member of the 99%. While he earned a salary substantially above the national median of 50K, he still was a working man, forced to earn his living by the sweat of his brow. The forces of the Washington establishment that oppose Snowden, to me, epitomize the 1%, a rentier class of parasites living off the sweat of others.

I'm interested to hear whether DU believes the 1%-99% dichotomy helps to explain or understand this matter. Or does it further complicate our understanding?

To the extent it is possible, I would love to see the character assassination on both sides kept to a minimum, so that we can consider the class-based ramifications of this matter.

[HardTimes99]

1. One self-kick for the mid- and late-morning crew. - n/t

[KittyWampus]

2. As a libertarian schmuck he's an idiot who may be in the 99% but his core philosophy benefits the 1%

All this crap about him caring about our civil liberties came to a head when Obama became POTUS… as evidenced by his earlier internet ravings.

[HardTimes99]

3. I think everyone on this board understands by now how you feel

about Mr. Snowden. My question went more to whether class-based analysis helps or hinders our understanding of the matter.

But thanks for weighing in.

[byeya]

4. I take the "1% - 99% as shorthand for the class structure where the minority has a stranglehold

on the majority to the point of taking away rights clearly granted in the Constitution and lowering the pay and worsening the working conditions of wage earners.
So, I may be wrong, but I use the "1% - 99%" as being interchangeable with the ongoing class war.

I recognize that's it's more than 1% who intentionally side with the Billionaires but they have sold out in hopes of collecting substantial crumbs that have fallen from the plates of the 1%.