All in all, efforts to deny, defend, denigrate, and defuse have fallen well short of standard Washington damage control.

Why? Consider the seemingly far fetched idea that the government wanted the NSA programs disclosed in this way. There will be further revelations, controversy, expressions of outrage from opinion makers, politicians, and ordinary citizens, investigations, and perhaps new regulations and legislation. Leakers may wind up in jail, but probably not anyone in the government. Ostensibly, it may become harder for the NSA to do what it has done. But what if all that is beside the point?

When memories of the particulars of this affair have faded, one well founded fear will remain indelibly in the collective consciousness: that the government can find out everything you say on your phone, everywhere you go from your electronic gadgets, every website you visit, every word you post on social media, and everything you buy with credit cards. Those who frequently express their love for the government and have led exemplary, flawless lives may have no reason to cower, but for the other 99.9999999 percent, that fear is profoundly disturbing and will undoubtedly affect behavior.