[tshile]

I'm glad there is public awareness and debate on the issue, but I find it troubling that there is severe lack of contribution to the debate (can we even call it that at this point?) from the NSA's part. I think it's in error to assume that there is nothing positive the NSA gets from this in terms of protecting the country, or maybe more specifically that the NSA has a vested interest in knowing the mundane details of the average citizen's life.

I'm as curious as the next person about how what they do is constitutional under the 4th amendment. I'm as against the idea of a police state, and am concerned about the direction of this country in a post-9/11 world as those at the protest. But there's two sides to every issue (often more), and on this one all we get is a bunch of awful PR that has to be walked back. I don't think it's a 100% useless and/or nefarious operation.

Is there nothing positive the NSA/US Government can tell us about these tactics that wont compromise their mission?

[candydance]

>Is there nothing positive the NSA/US Government can tell us about these tactics that wont compromise their mission?

They probably think that they can just stay silent and the public outrage will quietly sizzle out.

It's certainly looking like that stance will be justified.