Dear Senator Feinstein: What part of Operation Spy On *Everyone* did you not understand?

[delrem]

30. Yet you no doubt see that the pro-spying/authoritarian crowd

is already citing Dianne Feinstein as an example of how liberal/progressive they, and Dianne Feinstein as premiere example, are: publicly questioning the authority of the CIA/NSA/, of hallowed 3-letter agencies, and even suggesting possible illegality.

I expect a strongly worded pronouncement or even a (gasp!) written edict to come down, saying tut-tut.

My memory or recall of the post-Bush (post "9/11&quot NSA/CIA shit that has come down is somewhat spotty.
It isn't so spotty as not to know that there has been a game-changing shitload (much as R. Reagan brought the world a game-changing shitload of grief).

I remember some heavy duty sessions in US fed gov, with Sen. Patrick Leahy doing some amazing eyeballing of suspects, some portentous questions - and all sorts of people exclaiming about how something must be done - and I remember that nothing whatsoever has actually been done. Like: it was theater, it was done and it was done well, and now it's finished and has no other meaning. I'm reminded of that thing folk say to likely bullshitters: "you talk a mean game, but can you play it?"