I like Stossel very much but, no one is right all the time. This data can be used and easily abused. It should not be collected in the first place without due process. In his own words he needs "...to keep thinking about this issue...." The past abuses by whatever entity, are not justification for more.

I like Stossel as well, and rarely find fault in his reasoning.

All he is pointing out is what I have thought myself: All of our 'covers' have already been blown, and mined, a zillion times on the internet...and we did this willingly.

There isn't a thumb big enough to stop the leak in the dike, and how would we ever even know if that 'leak' was fixed. After all, these programs are TOP SECRET.

It feels good to rant against it, though!

I generally like Stossel. He is a no nonsense type of guy who will tell you the truth no matter how much it may hurt. I agree with most of his points in the article but cannot see his reasoning behind not being pissed about the NSA spying on its own citizens.

While I have known for years about the NSA and other government agencies keeping records on most U.S. citizens, it still is a big deal that they are doing it. At least now I can tell people about it and they don't look at me like I am another wingnut spouting conspiracy theories (not that it has stopped me in the past from warning people).

I look at this revelation as an opportunity to wake people up from their delusion that the government is here to protect them. We, the people, are not the problem. The government is the problem. We, the people, are the solution!