To bad the old Soviet Union isn't still around. If it was, maybe more Americans might be upset that their government is spying on them in ways we used to denounce as Communistic and totalitarian.

First the excuse was terrorism, and now drug trafficking. The make it all sound so dangerous and necessary to scare citizens into compliance.

But we forget that despite the good that may come from such spying, we are basically left with trusting highly secretive departments of the government to not be tempted to misuse this data. How easy would it be to throw elections if some of those with access to this spying data can track calls made and received by candidates, maybe even listen in on the calls? When do some free-market entrepreneurs within the spy agencies start selling this data off to corporations who want to analyze our telephone calls to target products at us?

And all of this spying is being pushed by Republicans who say they don't trust government. Think about that.