This is about Rand Paul, using any available brick to throw at Obama, the idea being that as Obama's fortunes fall Paul's rise.

In short a version of grandstanding. Schumer of NY uses any opportunity he can in the same way for certain issues.

While all politicians do this some are more likely than others to seize the moment.

In other words something is in the news and then all the sudden Senator "x" is writing a letter or demanding some action which gets him publicity.

It would be interesting to see how many times a press release is issued by these types that is not about some issue that has bubbled up first in the media. (My point being that I'd like to see if I am correct...or not.)

I do know that politicians are quick to write letters about anything and everything. But certain issues that have more PR potential seem to be more equal than others. My observation.

Rand Paul's party is by far the biggest supporter of NSA, TSA, and other TLAs. If he really wanted to change things, he could start by convincing his own party to stop fellating the NSA.

While I'm not that well versed in American politics, I find that hard to believe. The President doesn't seem to be some sort of all-controlling, micromanaging dictator, I'd find it more believable that he doesn't directly control the majority of US institutions, especially since most of them operate regardless of the political party in charge.

I mean, the NSA has been operating for 60 years, so obviously there is some continuity, and their activities go beyond the whims of each individual president...

They do what he commands. If that's not the case, then the United States is under siege, and the government has suffered a coup.

Not every instance of dereliction of duty is a coup... but at the extreme, yeah.

"the buck stops here"

The NSA is under the DoD. So he needs to start by firing Chuck Hagel, then his Deputy, then General Alexander, et al.

That is going to do more damage than it helps. The NSA isn't black and white no matter how much people on HN have recently decided it to be so.

Law changes and reforms within the NSA are the only sane way to fix issues you don't like without doing more harm than good, and the President just doesn't unilaterally get to pass new laws on his whim.