Thought Experiment (IOW - I Haven't Thought It Out Yet):

[rhett o rick]

16. How do you ever get that? I said the opposite.

"It doesnt matter that both thought (their motive) they were doing what they thought was best. What matters is the outcome. "

Cheney did an evil thing. He is an evil authoritarian. Snowden did us a service calling attention to the violations of our Constitution.

I agree that Russia is overall more repressive than the USofA. However, the USofA is very repressive in the area of whistle-blowers.

Snowden embarrassed our authoritarian government, especially the most authoritarian part of our government. Some here want him punished for this embarrassment. Some support our authoritarian government with regard to suppressing whistle-blowers and punishing those that dare speak truth to power.

I think Democrats, in general, should side with truth seekers and not repressive authoritarians.