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Petition to pardon Edward Snowden reaches 100,000 signatures

petitions.whitehouse.gov

51–60 of 128 posts

Re: Petition to pardon Edward Snowden reaches 100,000 signatures

#51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You really think that he's pulling the strings? That it's his call?

> You really think that he's pulling the strings? I have absolutely no idea. How could I, if everything is kept in secret? What I can do, is asking Obama, if he likes what he is doing. If his daughters like what he is doing. If he still believes in "change". If he wants to appear in history books in a row with Bush jr., McCarthy and Soviet leaders. I don't expect answers from Obama, but I can say, that I would not li…

You said it all in your last sentence. You could not ever be him. You're a normal human being. Presidents, regardless of country of origin, don't have that prerequisite. Actually it's a bonus point if they don't have it.

The history books will find a way to portray him in a good light. As history books have taught us.

Re: Petition to pardon Edward Snowden reaches 100,000 signatures

#52
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

That rule was put in place after the Swartz petition passed the initial limit of 25,000 in the first day or two. At the time of the change, they specifically said the new 100,000 limit would only apply to new petitions, so the Swartz petition was still under the original 25,000 signature rule.

Remember what Snowden said about policies changing?

Re: Petition to pardon Edward Snowden reaches 100,000 signatures

#53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The petition is not evidence of the public being against what the administration is doing, as it only represents the people who want Edward Snowden pardoned, not the "opposite" view, if such a view exists.

Go ahead and create another petition that asks for Edward Snowden not to be pardoned and to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and I bet that it hardly gets any signatures. Edit: This is a response to several of the replies. I'm assuming of course that nobody within the government would game the petition system. If we've gotten to the point were they would impersonate people in a petition to the white house…

There is no need to petition for the inevitable.

Re: Petition to pardon Edward Snowden reaches 100,000 signatures

#54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The petition is not evidence of the public being against what the administration is doing, as it only represents the people who want Edward Snowden pardoned, not the "opposite" view, if such a view exists.

Go ahead and create another petition that asks for Edward Snowden not to be pardoned and to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and I bet that it hardly gets any signatures. Edit: This is a response to several of the replies. I'm assuming of course that nobody within the government would game the petition system. If we've gotten to the point were they would impersonate people in a petition to the white house…

Well what if... obama's signature counts as 100,000 signatures? :P

Re: Petition to pardon Edward Snowden reaches 100,000 signatures

#55
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Proving that existing institutions and strategies are failing is a big part of what activists have to do at the beginning of a movement. So the questions I'd ask about whether petitions work are: -will they work to get government to reconsider policies? -will they reveal government's unwillingness to act? Either way, that's a victory in my books.

Surely the unwillingness of government to act is already evident? The petitions seem to provide an illusion of democratic consultation.

That remained my opinion just a moment ago. But reading though the thread now I wonder if at least some significant number of the signers might become more invested in the issue than they were before. Not to mention others who read about the petition reaching this threshold.

One major objective of activism is to inspire more activists.

Re: Petition to pardon Edward Snowden reaches 100,000 signatures

#56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The petition is not evidence of the public being against what the administration is doing, as it only represents the people who want Edward Snowden pardoned, not the "opposite" view, if such a view exists.

Go ahead and create another petition that asks for Edward Snowden not to be pardoned and to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and I bet that it hardly gets any signatures. Edit: This is a response to several of the replies. I'm assuming of course that nobody within the government would game the petition system. If we've gotten to the point were they would impersonate people in a petition to the white house…

The NSA, CIA and FBI would game that petition. I think the phrase is "Manufactured Consent."

Re: Petition to pardon Edward Snowden reaches 100,000 signatures

#57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The petition is not evidence of the public being against what the administration is doing, as it only represents the people who want Edward Snowden pardoned, not the "opposite" view, if such a view exists.

Go ahead and create another petition that asks for Edward Snowden not to be pardoned and to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and I bet that it hardly gets any signatures. Edit: This is a response to several of the replies. I'm assuming of course that nobody within the government would game the petition system. If we've gotten to the point were they would impersonate people in a petition to the white house…

the government might use their database skills to fix that...

Re: Petition to pardon Edward Snowden reaches 100,000 signatures

#58
post #37
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Better off geting 100k people to donate $10 and use that $1m to lobby congress.

Yuuuuup. Getting a specific person elected or a specific person threatened in their district is actually what would start working. Political change comes through money, and the reason is because money can effectively buy votes.

This is what we have come too: Protection money to Congress reps and Senators. Pay us and we will serve you.

Re: Petition to pardon Edward Snowden reaches 100,000 signatures

#60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The petition is not evidence of the public being against what the administration is doing, as it only represents the people who want Edward Snowden pardoned, not the "opposite" view, if such a view exists.

Go ahead and create another petition that asks for Edward Snowden not to be pardoned and to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and I bet that it hardly gets any signatures. Edit: This is a response to several of the replies. I'm assuming of course that nobody within the government would game the petition system. If we've gotten to the point were they would impersonate people in a petition to the white house…

@SCAQTony Also the title of the ever more relevant mr. Noam Chomsky's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_Consent:_The_Poli...
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