NSA Circles the Wagons - Ditching 90% of its System Administrators to Keep Lid on Secrets

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9. I think there will be a move by Congress to provide more 'transparency'

I can't see that effort pulling the lid off of the more insidious provisions of the 9-11 era intelligence regime, and that's really what we need to get at - issues related to e-mails and other private communications which involve the new and emerging technology. Somehow, government is bent on carving out special exceptions and denying new forms of communication like internet and cellphones protections that ordinary private communications have been provided by the law - like phone or postage communications.

Moreover, there is definitely an effort by this present administration - much like the past one - to string Congress along until they come up with a plan which doesn't put them or their present snooping efforts in jeopardy, or make them liable for any overreach, illegality, or impropriety, as legislators uncover and reform the system of collecting data and intelligence.

It's almost certain that the administrations efforts have gone beyond what many legislators believe is the letter and intent of the protections they provided in earlier legislation. It's the finer points of Obama administration rationale and legal justifications for their own snooping which have not been completely forthcoming from the WH.

It's that deliberately 'greyed' area which is the key to whether there will be real reform of the system of intelligence, or, just tweaks and polish to make Americans more comfortable - or more willing - to accept these intrusions of privacy and the limiting or evisceration of rights.