I've read the posts and references carefully below and actually agree that our government has probably been spying on us without direct authorization of the courts for decades under presidents of both parties.

Tom and SDAI seem enraged that anyone would question our current administration given that knowledge, but let's show a clear distinction here. When domestic spying becomes an issue is when it's being done by an administration that has given the impression that they are willing to impugn and defame people that disagree with them. One tends to overlook potential abuses of power when the person doing the abusing seems to be confident and secure and has shown a history of dealing with their enemies in an intelligent and non-threatening manner. In my opinion the current crop in power does not have that trait. They seem to be angry and viscious and are quick to point the finger of treason at anyone that questions their authority.

Since the era of J. Edgar Hoover we really haven't seen the real scary side of domestic spying but this current group give the impression they're extremely capable of living up to that power monger's methodology. It's a bit naive to think that Bush and Co. are not extremely tempted to use the new technology for their domestic political gains as opposed to using it only against terrorists. It would be refreshing to hear more cautious optimism from the more militant posters.

Art