I have read Glenn for years now and in general I agree with most of what he writes.
The following paragraph sums up why this is one of the most important tipping points of power in our time.
How can anyone think that it's remotely healthy in a democracy to have the NSA building a massive spying apparatus about which even members of Congress, including Senators on the Homeland Security Committee, are totally ignorant and find "astounding" when they learn of them? How can anyone claim with a straight face that there is robust oversight when even members of the Senate Intelligence Committee are so constrained in their ability to act that they are reduced to issuing vague, impotent warnings to the public about what they call radical "secret law" enabling domestic spying that would "stun" Americans to learn about it, but are barred to disclose what it is they're so alarmed by? Put another way, how can anyone contest the value and justifiability of the stories that we were able to publish as a result of Edward Snowden's whistleblowing: stories that informed the American public - including even the US Congress - about these incredibly consequential programs? What kind of person would think that it would be preferable to remain in the dark - totally ignorant - about them?
Do we blithely sit by and watch the completion of a system that in the future could be used abusively, do we at least try and resist the establishment of this invasion of privacy.
When congress isn't even sure what the hell is going on and is surprised by the sheer scale of this program isn't it already out of control?
Secret courts
Secret laws
Secret operations
Compliant corporations.
If that isn't a system designed to be abused it is difficult to imagine one where it is easier, the left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing and the head has taken a leave of absence.
The question is does even the executive branch have a handle on what is actually going on now, and what is being planned for the future?
All it takes is one low level whistle-blower to open a whole can of worms, but the rest of the crate still remains unopened. I wonder what a high level source could reveal.
I suppose we could just lay back and enjoy the invasion of our privacy.
I bet Nixon is spinning in his grave, if only, if only, he could be in power now.
Cheney is probably salivating, ye gawds so many are accepting the rational, next time, oh please, let there be a next time.
Logic and history are quite clear; at some point we are going to have someone who will enjoy abusing this system to its full potential.