Maggie's Farm

This is a more complex discussion then it seems.
First of all there is a lot that NSA could collect that would be legal to collect but would still upset privacy advocates. The Offical line of the government is that is what they are doing collecting data legally.
Second, there is the issue of archiving data that is available but would be illegal for them to "use" without a warrant. Their arguement is that they archive this data on a computer in real time because otherwise it is lost and by the time they realize they need it and could legally get a warrant to use it that the data would be gone. Probably they would win this point at the Supreme Court level.
Third is that there is a very real threat of something big, something that would make 9/11 look like no big deal. The terrorists are trying to get a nuke and their preferred ground zero is Manhattan. If we cripple NSA and the terrorists succeed in this plot we will be the stupidist culture in history. And make no mistake this is gonna happen the only question is will we stop it, partially stop it or fail to prevent it.
Fourth, by now it is clear to everyone that some of the NSA and CIA spying is and has been misused. In my opinion THAT is the problem, not the collecting of data or even the probable overstepping of the constitution in the collecting of data. That is if we can stop the death of 8 million people by tracking terrorists using phones and the internet even if it is technically illegal then I am for it but I am not for allowing the data to be used by politicians and government employees.
Fifth, Make no mistake, they are going to do this. If tomowrrow the Supremes declared that everything the NSA is doing must be stopped I have no doubt that a new and secret alphabet agency would be created in secret perhaps operating totally outside of the U.S. to do what the NSA does today. So which would you prefer an agency doing what it must to prevent a unthinkable attack on us but under congressional scrutiny or an agency tasked to do the same thing but forced into hiding with no scrutiny.