So, if you want today's best example of a double standard, look no further than comparing Edward Snowden to David Petraeus--and how when you suck up to the elite, and are part of the elite, you can get away with things that people who thumb their noses at the elites never can.
The sentence for Petraeus:
A federal judge on Thursday sentenced David H. Petraeus, the highest-profile general from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to two years’ probation for disclosing classified information. He was also fined $100,000, which was $60,000 more than the government had recommended.
The sentencing was the end of a leak investigation that embarrassed Mr. Petraeus and created bitter disputes inside the Justice Department about whether he was receiving too much leniency from Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.
F.B.I. officials and some prosecutors had contended that Mr. Petraeus should receive prison time for providing highly classified journals to a woman with whom he had an affair and who wrote his biography when he was the director of the C.I.A.
Holder has a habit of letting the powerful and well-connected off the hook--look no further than the "let all the bankers skate jail sentences" attitude from Holder.
So, Petraeus gets a slap on the wrist for leaking classified information, leaked to a lover. Hey, David, nice deal.
Snowden wants to come back:
The United States wants Snowden to stand trial for leaking extensive secrets of electronic surveillance programs by the National Security Agency (NSA). Russia has repeatedly refused to extradite him.
Snowden has said in the past he would like to return home if he was assured he would be given a fair trial.
If that's the standard, Snowden should get a MUCH BETTER DEAL. No jail time and no fine. He was acting for democracy and the needs of the people, not his libido.