Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
It's no big deal.
N.S.A.’s Intercepts Exceed Limits Set by Congress
WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency intercepted private e-mail messages and phone calls of Americans in recent months on a scale that went beyond the broad legal limits established by Congress last year, government officials said in recent interviews.
Several intelligence officials, as well as lawyers briefed about the matter, said the N.S.A. had been engaged in “overcollection” of domestic communications of Americans. They described the practice as significant and systemic, although one official said it was believed to have been unintentional.
The legal and operational problems surrounding the N.S.A.’s surveillance activities have come under scrutiny from the Obama administration, Congressional intelligence committees and a secret national security court, said the intelligence officials, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity because N.S.A. activities are classified. Classified government briefings have been held in recent weeks in response to a brewing controversy that some officials worry could damage the credibility of legitimate intelligence-gathering efforts.
Hey, it's no big deal. Just a small bout of 'overcollection'. Like having a few too many Tupperware containers, right? Or like being a bit 'overdrawn' at the bank. You know, to the tune of $1.3 Trillion or something. Easy mistake for anyone to make.
Jim Downey
(Cross posted to my blog.)
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But then we already knew,
. . . didn't we? This is not a hard one to nail from the get go. Why, the sheer wonder of the invasive power implied by the granting of "limited intercept authorization" for the purpose of testing a system intended to "respond to high level threats in near real time" would just hypnotize anyone!
Just give a middle manager an expense account.
Just tell seventeen-year-old to have the family care back at a "reasonable" hour.
Just tell a law officer that the rules have been "slightly loosened" for this "special" case.
Just tell a true believer that "his candidate" is the only one who can save us.
I'm not surprised, though this sort of abuse used to trouble me. This is nothing more than a clear demonstration of the lengths that some will go to in order to be on top of the "heap." Junior High playground politics. Seen it.
It is also a sterling example of why the rule of law is necessary. Because some people become assholes and others suffer or are at least inconvenienced or terminally flummoxed by such blinkered fuckwittery.
*N.B. all quote marks are intentionally scary*