Isn't it amusing to watch people who have called Obama-supporters 'worshippers'

[JDPriestly]

178. I'm talking about the metadata.

The government has been able to get metadata in a specific case for a long time, but that procedure is a far cry from what is being done now. They are collecting metadata, analyzing it and using it to "identify" suspects. They aren't looking for a criminal who has committed a crime. They are looking for networks of people, for spheres and individuals of influence. They are using this information to obtain a social profile of groups.

This use violates our basic human right to form associations. It violates the right of a journalist to collect news. It violates the rights of people using the internet to inform themselves, let's say, about demonstrations against various governments around the world.

The Obama administration may not be abusing this kind of procedure, but it is very dangerous and makes a mockery of our Bill of Rights.

It is social science taken to an extreme.

As for obtaining information beyond the metadata, Snowden and a couple of other whistleblowers are warning that is happening and rather arbitrarily.

Russell Tice (I think that is the name) stated that he held papers in his hands that authorized checking on the numbers related to Obama and that was in 2004. He also said he held the papers ordering a check on Alito's numbers. Why was that legal?

That was under Bush, but if that was possible then, it could be done now even if unofficially and rather surreptitiously.

Snowden worked in this program recently. No one has denied it. He does not strike me as a grandstander. Maybe we differ on that, but I am inclined to believe him when he says he could get into just about anyone's very specific data. I worked at the phone company at one time. I think that is quite possible. And today it would be even more possible than it was back when I was there.