NSA scandal ‘biggest story of your life’

By Kathy Shaidle

“The NSA surveillance scandal is the biggest story of your lifetime” – that was Michael Savage’s message all this week, as details emerged about the extent to which the government has been spying on millions of Americans.

However, “They obviously weren’t spying on Muslims, or people known to have associated with terrorists,” Savage pointed out, otherwise the authorities would have prevented the Boston Marathon bombing (FREE audio).

Calling whistleblower Edward Snowden “a patriot, not a traitor,” Dr. Savage declared that “the NSA scandal makes Watergate look like what it was: a green pea inside a tidal wave” (FREE audio).

Rush Limbaugh

Just when it seemed America couldn’t be further divided along ideological party lines …

This week, Limbaugh reported on a depressing Washington Post survey that revealed that “Democrats are fine with” government data mining, “as long as Obama is targeting the right Americans, like those dangerous tea-party people” (FREE audio).

It looks like liberals’ campaign to intimidate Limbaugh’s sponsors hasn’t succeeded as planned. According to his distributor, Rush’s ad revenue took a brief hit after he attacked leftwing activist Sandra Fluke on the air. However, “advertising on the program has picked back up in the second quarter” of 2013.

Aaron Klein

You may think you’ve heard it all when it comes to the NSA “data mining” scandal, but investigative broadcaster Aaron Klein has a report on the other, less-known ways the government is keeping tabs on millions of citizens (FREE audio).

Here’s another story you won’t hear anywhere else: how the president’s social media experts actually helped trained the leaders of the so-called “Arab Spring” to use “Saul Alinsky tactics.”

Klein’s guests this week included Israel’s deputy minister of defense and comedian Jackie Mason.

Mark Levin

“Stick your data mining!”

Mark Levin was livid as the extent of the government’s domestic spying apparatus was being revealed this week.

It’s an issue that has many on the left and the right in rare agreement, as Levin was quick to remind listeners (FREE audio): “I’m not some ACLU nutjob. I’m not some conspiracy theorist. I’m a Reaganite. I’m a constitutionalist. I’m a conservative. And I look at this, and I’m disgusted. Absolutely disgusted.”

Demonstrating his penchant for following principles rather than the party line, Levin also slammed GOP darling Paul Ryan’s plans for immigration reform – and for declining an invitation to come on Levin’s show to talk about it (FREE audio).

“We’re now profiling American citizens by their phone numbers,” Levin pointed out dryly, “but at the same time we’re not protecting the border.”

Laura Ingraham

This week, Ingraham continued to focus on the controversial immigration bill and its proponents. Pat Buchanan, for one, told Laura he was “nostalgic” for the Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., he met years ago, before Rubio embraced dubious “immigration reform.”

Meanwhile, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., assured Ingraham that unless the Senate “strengthens” the existing bill, it will be “dead on arrival” in the House of Representatives (FREE audio).

Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wisc., declared that “amnesty is not the way to go,” agreeing that certain so-called “conservative” Republicans are “getting into bed with the wrong people.”

Sensenbrenner was also one of the authors of the Patriot Act and reminded Laura that under Section 215, only foreign nationals could have their telephone records investigated, not U.S. citizens. He added that the extent of the newly-revealed NSA database clearly violates those terms.

Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck’s troubles with his vocal cords started a few years ago. This week, they returned with a vengeance, and he was forced to deliver a silent monologue on his Internet TV show. He used a stack of cards, each with a brief sentence, to deliver a heartfelt message.

Kathy Shaidle

Kathy Shaidle is a blogging pioneer whose FiveFeetOfFury.com is now in its 12th year. Her most recent book – "The Tyranny of Nice: How Canada Crushes Freedom in the Name of Human Rights, and Why It Matters to Americans" – features an introduction by Rush Limbaugh guest host Mark Steyn. Read more of Kathy Shaidle's articles here.


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