Mike Luckovich is gonna piss off all the NSA supporters/Snowden haters here

[fbc]

66. Breaking the law = crime

Section 215 of the Patriot Act, allows for the collection of evidence upon showing reasonable grounds that the things sought are “relevant” to an authorized foreign intelligence investigation.

How can you possible read mass surveillance of all US citizens, which the collection of metadata surely is, from that?

There is no way to legally do what the NSA is doing under existing law. The Patriot Act allows targeted collection and FISA allows warrantless surveillance of non-citizens. There is no law that allows warrantless surveillance of American citizens, and even legislators pass one, it would be unconstitutional.

The NSA is breaking the law. You're apparently ok with that, but let's keep it frank and honest and just admit that you are ok with the NSA breaking the law. Don't pretend that existing laws, however unconstitutional they might be anyway, permit the kind of surveillance that is currently happening. Or at the very least, quote the sections of these laws that allow this activity. But don't waste too much of your time looking for them because they do not exist.