Daniel Ellsberg: Snowden made the right call when he fled the U.S.

[JDPriestly]

161. Under the Constitution, the legislative branch has nearly all, almost all of the authority

to pass laws. The judicial branch is just supposed to interpret the law.

The executive branch is supposed to execute the laws the legislature enacts.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/

The executive branch is supposed to lead the military. The legislature is supposed to pass laws about the operations of the military.

Our executive branch has taken on a lot more authority than I think that the executive gives it.

The executive branch has assumed, by legislative instruction, the job of determining what information is classified, secret, etc. The FISA court also decides what is to be kept secret.

Our Constitution doesn't give the president that authority. Congress can. Congress could also take that authority from the president. I would like to see Congress have more say, more control over what kinds and specifically what information is classified as secret, etc.

The executive branch is now prohibiting even members of Congress from fully informing the American people of information we need to have to keep ourselves free. That does not protect our security. It destroys our security. Because as Americans, it is basic to our Constitution that we can only be free and secure if we control our government. This excessive secrecy prevents us from controlling our own government. This excessive secrecy is used to keep us ignorant and obedient. That is especially true of the secrecy concerning the extent of this wiretapping. Snowden should not have had to tell us about this program. Congress should have been free to discuss it with us. And the President should have courageously taken it upon himself to explain the program to us before Snowden came forth.

This excessive surveillance is wrong. End the excessive secrecy.

If someone is selling drugs or violating the law or doing something that really hurts the country and the government can prove it, then surveillance is appropriate. But surveillance of this scope and magnitude is an absurd waste of money and an invasion of our privacy.