Judge Rules N.S.A. Phone Surveillance Is Lawful in Case Filed by A.C.L.U.

[JDPriestly]

33. There is no on point ruling. Congress could make this illegal quite easily.

And that is what Congress should do.

The problem isn't just the COLLECTION of the metadata. It is the analysis and use of the metadata to group people, to study social networks, etc. That is what is politically dangerous and negates the idea of democracy and freedom.

It also gives too much knowledge and therefore power to the executive branch of the government over the individuals serving in the other two branches.

The underlying theory and strength of our government is the independence and equality of our three branches of government -- the separation of powers. It is like the tripod upon which our government is balanced. Gradually, the tripod has been tipped so that the executive branch is stronger than the others. If we do not shorten the leg of the executive branch, our tripod will fall over. This NSA program weakens the balance in our government even more than the constant wars.

When the government uses this sweeping collection of our metatdata it virtually equates all of us with terrorists. By all of us I mean not just you and me but also scientists, teachers, ministers, lawyers, business executives, inventors, children, teenagers, legislators, judges, all of us. We are all treated as potential terrorists by the executive branch of the government. That is the very definition of a police state.