Actually, there is no lighter side to what the NSA is doing. One thing that every politician knows is that they’re in trouble when the late night comics start making them the butt of their jokes. That’s already happening with the NSA scandal but there’s something else: the daily comic strips are mocking the government over the NSA scandal as well.
Here are two examples:
- Dilbert
- Sherman’s Lagoon
Doubtless there are other examples. If you have a favorite, leave a comment.
It’s my hope that all this mockery represents a tipping point in the sense that the issue has burst upon the general public’s awareness and is no longer the concern of just geeks, news junkies, and politicos. If that is indeed the case, it will be harder for Congress to pretend that everything is fine and that there’s no need for reform. On the other hand, no one ever lost money underestimating the common sense of politicians.