The implications of Obama pardoning Snowden...

[Reason]

Think about it...

Looks good to the public.

Makes the right wing have a cognitive dissonance meltdown, (can't support snowden & hate obama if obama supports snowden...)

Gives the left an excuse why Obama is decent...

Doesn't actually fix or reform anything, yet would facilitate the dying of the story...

I think if I was Obama, I would pardon Snowden...

[AuH20]

They can't let Snowden go on principle. The government thrives on fear and intimidation.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Think about it...

Looks good to the public.

Makes the right wing have a cognitive dissonance meltdown, (can't support snowden & hate obama if obama supports snowden...)

Gives the left an excuse why Obama is decent...

Doesn't actually fix or reform anything, yet would facilitate the dying of the story...

I think if I was Obama, I would pardon Snowden...


Nice idea layout, but not happening. Let's say you were were a gov surveillance type. Would you pardon Snowden in public, allowing many others to come forward expecting the same?

Snowden must be one of thousands. Do they want to unleash a tidal wave? No. They want to hang him to make sure anyone else is afraid of telling the truth in public.

Like I said, nice idea layout, but you missed step two.

[luctor-et-emergo]

They can't let Snowden go on principle. The government thrives on fear and intimidation.
Yup, here in Europe whistle blowers are regularly destroyed in many ways. We also have protection laws, just seems that nobody ever qualifies for it.

[ItsTime]

Nah, they will suicide him.

[Christian Liberty]

I don't know if I want that to happen. As much as Snowden doesn't deserve any punishment, I could see such a pardon going very, very badly for the liberty movement in a couple different ways.

[Occam's Banana]

Nice idea layout, but not happening. Let's say you were were a gov surveillance type. Would you pardon Snowden in public, allowing many others to come forward expecting the same?

Snowden must be one of thousands. Do they want to unleash a tidal wave? No. They want to hang him to make sure anyone else is afraid of telling the truth in public.

Like I said, nice idea layout, but you missed step two.

Exactly. There is not even the remotest chance in hell of this happening. They are going to do absolutely everything in their power to come down on him with everything they have - for precisely the reason MWMMI2 identified.

They just can't afford not to do so. The kabuki theater of partisan politics & public opinion is irrelevant. People like Edward Snowden are quite nearly an existential threat to critical elements of the police-state apparatus that have been erected (and are still being assembled) mostly in the dark.

Letting someone like Snowden "off the hook" for petty partisan or public-relations advantages is just NOT in the cards. With relatively very few exceptions, politicians & bureaucrats (Republican or Democrat, "liberal" or "conservative") will close ranks and unite behind the need to deep-six Snowden as promptly and thoroughly as possible. The great majority of pundits will do the same (though some of them will "break ranks" for the sake of partisanship, and some fewer will do so for the sake of prinicple).

[phill4paul]

Nah, they will suicide him.

I think the term I heard was that he should be "disappeared."

[UWDude]

They want him in prison, not disappeared. They want people to imagine him like Bradley Manning, in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, with a flickering flourescent light. They want Americans to shake in fear of that as a fate. Death is too easy. They want to torture Snowden so all Americans will understand who is in charge, and quake in fear of the government. They see themselves as a jealous and vengeful god.

If Obama does pardon Snowden, he'll be dead soon enough, and there will be a huge constitutional crisis, because if he does that, he might as well just start going full on rogue.

[economics102]

Interesting theory but no way that'll happen.

[Philhelm]

If I were president, there would be many people pardoned on the very first day of my presidency. All other matters would follow.

[fr33]

I think we should focus on getting Clapper charged with perjury.