A new Quinnipiac University Poll, the first major poll since the revelations of the NSA’s surveillance schemes, shows an encouraging trend toward American awareness about the dangers of government overreach.
The poll showed a strong majority of Americans seeing Edward Snowden, the source of the revelations, as a whistleblower, and not a traitor. The majority was even broader among younger Americans, but spanned virtually all categories.
The poll also showed a slight majority of Americans now believe that the US government’s anti-terrorism policies have “gone too far,” a sentiment again overwhelmingly endorsed by younger voters. That’s a huge shift from the previous poll on the matter, in 2010, when nearly a 3-1 majority believed the policies hadn’t gone far enough.
The shift in attitudes is encouraging, but it’s also somewhat baffling, as cable news coverage has mostly been intensely critical of Snowden and ambivalent, at best, toward the issue of surveillance. Americans seem to strongly disagree with that assessment.
I suspect that even if a poll, or all polls revealed that 95% of all polled across all demographics believed that Snowden is not a traitor and should not be prosecuted that the government would proceed regardless. The government has mostly, over the years – more so lately – ignored what the public wants because, well, they know what is best for the country.
You are correct. I think (while hope) that most Americans are starting to see this.
It is time for change and they all need to go
The first thing that is interesting is that so many people have an opinion at all. People feel pasionate about this issue. And the second is that the executives case for espianoge will be perceived as yet another attack on whistle blowers. With the results of the poll split down the middle republicans could pick up quite a few seats in senate and congress if they play this issue out. If republicns play lame then libertarians can pick up the slack.
Snowden, Bradley Maning, Julian Assange and all others alike people are TRUTH tellers and governments don't like the truth to be told, even if when they calling themselves democrats or Christian Democratic Party of not so Angel Angela Markell or the French mafia Sarkozi.
Have some Americans rediscovered their consciences? Have they finally put their brains into gear? Is their big catatonic sleep finally over?
We can but hope!