American have learned over the past few days that their government is accessing their personal data and has been for a long time.&nbsp; If you remember the uproar that occurred when the Patriot Act was passed, you would have expected the Obama administration to abolish the whole thing!&nbsp; But it appears the current administration has gone beyond the bounds of protections that were supposedly part of the act.&nbsp; First, it was secret surveillance of reporters, then we learn Verizon (and other carriers?) was ordered to turn over all kinds of telephone information and now many of the biggest internet companies deny they've participated in a govenment program to turn over their users' data.&nbsp; What else don't we know?<br />
<br />
How are these agencies getting this data without a court order? What possible need is there for any governmental agency to collect large quantities of data about a large group of people?&nbsp;  What are these agencies doing with it?&nbsp; <br />
<br />
<a href="http://dailycaller.com/2013/06/06/nsa-fbi-secretly-mines-data-from-major-internet-companies/">dailycaller.com/2013/06/06/nsa-fbi-secretly-mines-data-from-major-internet-companies/</a><br />
<br />
In response to the public outcry about intrusive goverment surveillance, the Director of National Intelligence is declassifying some details about the programs in question.&nbsp; He claims the surveillance is legal and limited, despite what the leaked documents may reveal.&nbsp; Can we believe anyone?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/us-declassifies-phone-program-details-uproar-071508507.html">news.yahoo.com/us-declassifies-phone-program-details-uproar-071508507.html</a><br />
<br />
Even the New York Times is getting in on the act:&nbsp; <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/opinion/president-obamas-dragnet.html?hp&amp;_r=0">www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/opinion/president-obamas-dragnet.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />