Bernie says Snowden should be prosecuted.

[BainsBane]

What say ye?

[rug]

1. The only one who didn't say that was Chafee.

[Historic NY]

31. He needs votes....

[onehandle]

2. Agree. nt

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. it was a very nuanced response - broke the law yes, but what happens should take into account

the light he shone on a bad system. I thought it was an excellent answer.

[backscatter712]

50. This. If the justice system really had some, you know, justice, in it...

Snowden might serve a year if the judge was pissed off at him. And would serve less than that because the judge would take into account the good things that happened because of what Snowden did.

But if Snowden inexplicably decided to hop on a plane and come home today, he'd get thrown in a Supermax for the rest of his life. The punishments for daring to defy the military-industrial-intelligence complex are insanely disproportionate. Just ask Chelsea Manning.

[NRaleighLiberal]

51. Exactly - but the whole authoritarian thing will be a big distinction in this election.

[ucrdem]

4. Not as well as Hillary

but he's coming along.

[bullwinkle428]

5. Punished like Petraeus.

[hrmjustin]

6. I say if he comes back i say he should get a fair trial and see where it goes.

[NRaleighLiberal]

52. but he won't get one. No way.

[hrmjustin]

54. Well he made a choice so if he wants to come home he has to answer for his actions.

I think he will get a fair trial.

[NRaleighLiberal]

55. not in my opinion. he would be crushed. and to me, he did something utterly necessary.

but I am not at all an authoritarian type.

[hrmjustin]

56. He can argue that in court.

But the question is what secrets did he reveal to China and Russia.

He deserves a fair trial but by running he hurt himself.

[NRaleighLiberal]

57. we will agree to disagree on this - we feel very differently.

[hrmjustin]

58. .

[MH1]

7. I think Bernie and Martin both handled it well.

Obviously Snowden broke the law and they can't say that he's "a hero" no matter how much some of the vocal fringe would like to hear that. The vocal "Snowden is a hero" fringe doesn't have enough votes to elect anyone.

[Warren Stupidity]

8. I disagree.

See how easy that is?

[BainsBane]

12. How can that be possible?

Bernie is perfection personified. How can you disagree? I thought that was strictly prohibited?

[Warren Stupidity]

16. sorry that you perceive things that way.

[Aerows]

33. Same old HillsHouse on the HCS site

Thinks nobody notices while they plot to get people hidden.

I generally, in life, am kind. Hit me once? Let it go.

Hit me twice? I take no more shit from you.

I'm nobody's doormat.

[cherokeeprogressive]

21. I guess you thought wrong.

Quelle surprise.

[arcane1]

29. You're the only one saying he's perfection. It's a fantasy.

[Xipe Totec]

9. Is that all you heard? Seriously?

Or are you editing his reply á la O'Keefe?

[SusanCalvin]

10. No. Snowden is a hero to me.

However, I don't expect to agree with Bernie 100%, and it was, as someone else on this thread said, a nuanced response.

[Aerows]

11. Oh Look! It's HillsHouse pretending to have a gotcha! n/t

[BainsBane]

20. You think accusing me of being someone I'm not

distracts from a position on an issue? That's lame, but then when you have nothing of substance to say, you have nothing to say.
You're powers of observation are atrocious. Even your personal attacks are disingenuous.

[hrmjustin]

22. Well done.

[Aerows]

24. Are you curious how I might have confirmed it? It's true.

I don't deal in dishonesty or pretense.

[BainsBane]

26. I don't care what you think you confirmed

You're wrong. If you're going to people you think are me around the internet, at least make an effort to get it right.

[Aerows]

30. Oh, my dear.

I'm not a Ramses that thought everybody was Skinner, Sid Dithers and any number of everybody.

[BainsBane]

32. Obviously you're not very good

at discerning writing patterns or even common positions on issues. But given you go to such lengths to avoid discussing issues, I shouldn't be surprised.

3 years on this site, and you haven't even figured out where I'm from, and I haven't exactly been discreet.

[BainsBane]

40. I don't even know WTF you are talking about

in regard to a doormat. My post said nothing of the kind.

Hear this. You are wrong. I am not HillsHouse, and if you continue to repeat a false accusation that makes you willfully deceitful.

I'm perfectly fine with your ignoring me. I don't care what you think about me either, but I do expect you to quit making up shit about me.

[sheshe2]

42. FYI....

Bains is not HillsHouse, I know that for a fact.

[OKNancy]

43. Sorry, you are incorrect.

[Sheepshank]

60. When you finally get a chance, I'd suggest a little apology

She is NOT HillsHouse.

you are embarassing yourself....and multipyling that error by repeating the falsehood over and over.

[George II]

61. Who is HillsHouse?

[pinebox]

13. No

Snowden shouldn't be. American people deserve to know what's up.

[snooper2]

14. nobody cares about snowy anymore

[JaneyVee]

15. Have to at least get a trial.

Perhaps they could consider his time in Russia as time served.

[Fred Sanders]

18. A trial would expose the bankruptcy of the America media and military....never will thst happen.

[Left2Tackle]

17. Prosecuted and then acquitted.

If he could get a fair public trial, I don't think any jury would convict him.

[riderinthestorm]

19. Lol, the "biggest point" tonight!

Good luck flogging this

[BainsBane]

25. I guess he's yesterday's news

No longer one of the great men who we must bow before? It seems the great man view of the world is prone to fickleness.

[Marr]

53. Waitaminute-- let me get this straight.

You insult people who are against NSA domestic intelligence operations for years, saying they "Snowden worshippers". And when they fail to live up to YOUR bullshit, it's a condemnation of... Snowden?

lmao.

[delrem]

23. If he broke the law, he should be prosecuted.

That's what law is.

Bernie also mentioned the possibility of considering extenuating circumstances.
I don't think most US Americans would be opposed to that.

A problem is, as everyone knows, the US has been doing things like waterboarding detainees kidnapped off the streets of the world, and/or holding them without charge, without trial, in offshore prisons, and even "disappearing" them. That kind of stuff. So yes, to anybody except a goon, nuance should be in play.

[Sheepshank]

27. That might make a lot of DUers very uncomfortable since they adore Snowden

Otoh, it may have many Sanders supporters change their minds over Snowden if they previously thought Snowden was da bomb.

Personally I was never a fan of Snowden.

[d_legendary1]

28. Trick question

1. Snowden broke the law. He can't get away scott free.

2. What Snowden did took guts. He exposed what the government was doing and everyone was in agreement that the government shouldn't spy on its citizens without a warrant. Sanders took it further by extending such spying to corporations be prohibited as well. They agree with his actions, but rules are rules.

[slipslidingaway]

34. Not really, post his entire response. n/t

[BainsBane]

39. Feel free to do so yourself

I'm not a walking stenographer. I don't remember his verbatim, full response.

[slipslidingaway]

46. Here ...

is the gist of his response.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251676035

" ...Frontrunner Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, painted Snowden as a criminal and a thief, who didn’t take the steps he should have taken to become a whistleblower. “He could have gotten the protections of being a whistleblower. He could have raised all the issues he’s raised, and I think there would have been a positive response to that,” the former Secretary of State said. “He stole very important information that has unfortunately fallen into the wrong hands, so I don’t think he should be brought home without facing the music.”

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley wasn’t far behind. “He put a lot of Americans’ lives at risk,” he said. “Snowden broke the law. Whistleblowers do not run to Russia and try to get protection from Putin.”

Meanwhile, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose anti-surveillance stance aligns him more closely with Republican candidate Rand Paul than some of the other Democratic candidates, said he believes Snowden ought to face a penalty, but that “what he did in educating us should be taken into consideration.”


Does Hillary forget that other whistleblowers did come forward?

npr.org/2014/07/22/333741495/before-snowden-the-whistleblowers-who-tried-to-lift-the-veil

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/06/16/snowden-whistleblower-nsa-officials-roundtable/2428809/

[Vattel]

36. He's wrong. But at least he doesn't want him in prison for years.

[Dawson Leery]

38. The professional left is at it again.

Ignoring the center right positions of their own show pony.

[Jamaal510]

41. Agree 100%.

He broke the law and possibly put Americans' lives at risk. It's a no-brainer.

[Motown_Johnny]

44. He also said that his contribution should be considered when sentencing.

It seemed like a "middle of the road" position.

[Renew Deal]

45. Doesn't Snowden say that Snowden should be prosecuted?

[Nye Bevan]

48. I'm a Hillary supporter but I agree that Bernie is correct here (nt)

[ibegurpard]

49. his statement was perfect

That he did us all a favor but that he still needs to face consequences and what he did for us should be a mitigating factor in those consequences.

[Eric J in MN]

59. Sanders supports leniency for Edward Snowden.

I consider Snowden a hero and want him to get a full pardon, but apparently there aren't any presidential candidates who agree with me.