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Comment by angry-hacker | Hacker News Reader

What about ex president Obama who actually used the tech? So much outrage for Thiel, but where were the protests when Obama wiretapped the world?

Ps. I think Thiel is a hypocrite if he really thinks himself as libertarian. Also, despite having money and power I think he has big balls to go against SV where he made himself. I also don't understand how did he became so powerful, every time he talks.. He has charisma of an old rag.

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There were numerous pieces on The Guardian, Intercept, NYT and Vox decrying Obama's mass surveillance as a huge blot on his administration and his biggest stain alongside illegal drone strikes.

It was literally one of the biggest reasons people aside from Republicans disliked his tenure.

There were a ton of protests against mass surveillance around the time of the whole Snowden fiasco, and even the Oscars recognized Citizenfour, which critisised Obama for massively expanding mass surveillance.

Exactly. It really reminds me of the boy who cried wolf. Republicans made a point to question Obama's faith and whether he is a secret muslim or if he was born here. Meanwhile abhorrent policies are being enacted, but we did get the birth certificate. In the sense of using a distraction to further another agenda I feel like Obama and Trump are the best of the best.

I really don't think their methods are the same here, are you suggesting Obama created distractions like the birthed movement? I think he just went for it. Trump certainly is creating distractions, actively fostering fatigue.

Created? That's not the point

All distractions are favorable when you are accountable to people.

All.

> but where were the protests when Obama wiretapped the world?

right here:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/26/nsa-rally-stop...

now stop derailing. Thiel is the one in power right now.

"Yes We Scan", I remember that.

The guy also chairs the steering committee of Bildeberg.

The Intercept has written about Obama's abuse of the surveillance state and executive power since its inception. This kind of whataboutism adds little to the discussion.

The Intercept started as an outlet that primarily reported on Snowden documents during the Obama administration.

What do you mean where were the protests? Where have you been?

the thing about Obama is that even if he ultimately made a bad decision you got the feeling (a feeling that i would say is backed up by evidence) that he put thought and care and consideration into decisions.

i'm not trying to apologize for any particular failing of his but i think that explains the huge difference in protest reaction between him and trump

I think there's truth in that, but how reliable are peoples' feelings? I think the "what about Obama?" questions are getting at this underlying point.

Also, it's hard to accommodate protesters when the demands are nebulous concepts of "make me feel better about this". Post Tea Party politics and protests have been rife with this problem.

It's not really about people's feelings. It's a fact that Obama is intellectually curious, more educated in the constitution, more experienced in government, more honest (by any fact checking metric), and on and on. Again, that doesn't mean he always makes the right decisions.

As for the protests, having participated in some, I think the demands are generally clear "cancel the muslim ban", "release your taxes", "dont take away our healthcare", "stand up for the rights of the disenfranchised". I'm sure you can find examples that are less focused but that doesn't prove anything. They aren't all going to be effective, but it's important to show that we're watching and listening and ready to mobilize.

> Where were the protests when Obama wiretapped the world?

There were protests in over 80 cities in the US: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactions_to_global_surveillan...

> I also don't understand how did he became so powerful, every time he talks.. He has charisma of an old rag.

Because he's a legitimate genius who has helped create and invested in great businesses.

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