For the past few months, we have all watched the Edward Snowden “problem” unfold, and now even the most staunch critics of Snowden believe the National Security Agency has overstepped their bounds in one way or another.

Does this mean Snowden was correct in his actions to reveal this information publicly? Should he be forgiven?

According to U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein, the former NSA contractor had missed his chance.

“He had an opportunity, if what he was was a whistleblower, to pick up the phone and call the House Intelligence Committee, the Senate Intelligence Committee and say, ‘Look, I have some information you ought to see’,” she told CBS television’s “Face the Nation.”

“We would have seen him and we would have looked at that information. That didn’t happen, and now he’s done this enormous disservice to our country. “And I think the answer is no clemency,” said the California Democrat, adding that Snowden should be prosecuted.

Are we to assume from these comments that, after reviewing Snowden’s information, our senators would have understood the problem and taken steps to rein in the NSA?

Does anyone truly believe this would have happened?

Can we believe that, without public scrutiny, Senator Feinstein and the others would have proactivly sought to dismantle some of these programs? Would this information have been given to the remaining members of Congress — like, for instance, Senator Rand Paul?

These senators are supposed to be our eyes and ears providing oversight of the executive department to protect our rights. I can tell you from my experience, it doesn’t happen this way. At least not with Senator Collins.

I requested to meet with Senator Collins to ask for help and guidance regarding the failure of several of our intelligence and lawenforcement agencies to act on terrorist and major drug trafficking activities over a two-year period.

This was detailed information regarding Iranian intelligence officers, Karzai drug trafficking, high value targets in the Taliban and numerous others. It even involved the terrorist fusion center in Boston; the same center that failed to stop the Boston Marathon bombing. These agencies were woefully negligent in their responsibilities, and through their negligence they put American lives in danger.

I was not able to meet with Senator Collins, and the guidance I received was to return to the same agencies and file my complaints with them. Passing the buck at its best.

Can you imagine if Snowden had gone to Collins and was given the same advice?

DANNY DALTON, an unenrolled candidate for U.S. Senate in 2012, is a former agent for the Drug Enforcement Agency, FBI and U.S. State Department. He lives in Brunswick.