Obama has pursued leakers w/ a vengeance, more than all other administrations combined. Ex Dir. Of Nat'l Intelligence Dennis Blair & AG Eric Holder seem to agree leaks were flourishing because the gov't was too passive in addressing them. Not so. Leaking is flourishing because of the gov'ts massive engagement in illegal activities & leaker's conscience won't let them remain silent knowing what they know about gov't wrongdoing.

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Godfather puppetmaster by Wikipedia

"The Godfather" puppet master

As we know, the Obama administration has aggressively pursued leaks and leakers with a vengeance prosecuting more than twice as many as all previous administrations combined.

  An article in yesterday's New York Times, (with the misleading title, "Math Behind Leak Crackdown: 153 Cases, 4 years, 0 indictments") by staff writer Sharon LaFraniere who wrote, after an interview with former Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, that he and current Attorney General Eric Holder "agreed that leaks were flourishing partly because the government was too passive in addressing them".

What grabbed my attention was the part about "leaks were flourishing" and it wasn't "because the government was too passive."

  What wasn't being acknowledged (not unsurprisingly by these two governmental flacks) was the idea leaks could be flourishing because of the administrations growing number of illegalities, all kept secret for reasons of national security, which doesn't sit well for some who take the oath to defend the Constitution; but still work inside that government and become torn with inner misgivings where it becomes personally unacceptable to keep the government's misdeeds from being disclosed. Their conscience won't let them remain silent knowing what they know was wrong so leaking it becomes the only way to inform the people of what is really going on.

I don't believe it's a stretch to say most people don't want to be connected with illegal activities.  

In fact if it weren't for jeopardizing ones job security and family obligations the present leaking could result in a flood even though most people aren't an Edward Snowden willing to sacrifice job, income and personal well being to become whistleblowers revealing the truth.

Personal integrity of people can sometimes fall into grey areas but most are not willing to sacrifice it completely. Yet these last two administrations have become sociopathic justifying and authorizing torture, initiating illegal wars based on fabrications and now a president who has become the "assassinator in chief", targeting anyone, including Americans for death as he alone determines, becoming judge, jury and executioner all in one, overseen and answerable to none.

Such rogue government behavior, with former VP Dick Cheney being its poster boy, has ensnared and corrupted our current president as well as most members of Congress confirming the old adage "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" describing the government's extra-legal wrongdoing.

Where once only totalitarian governments and its leaders were seen engaging in blatant torture and murderous activity, our U.S. government has become since 9/11 a prime contributor to the practice.

And if weren't for leakers, whistleblowers and investigative reporters exposing the governments wrongdoing, we would be completely in the dark.

What is evident, as the governments wrongdoing has grown, its persecution and prosecution of those exposing it has grown simultaneously in correlation with it.

And like the mafia that attempts to destroy all its opponents, control all illegal trafficking and is ruthless in offing informants, our government engages whistleblowers in similar fashion.

That government has become the real life sequel to Martin Scorcese's fictional "The Godfather" and why leaks and whistleblowing are "flourishing".

Authors Website: dglefc22733@aol.com

Authors Bio:
Retired. The author of "DECEIT AND EXCESS IN AMERICA, HOW THE MONEYED INTERESTS HAVE STOLEN AMERICA AND HOW WE CAN GET IT BACK", Authorhouse, 2009