A nation's intelligence apparatus spying on its legislature is straight-up, full-on reign-of-terror status stuff
First off, I'm not particularly happy that ordinary citizens, residents, and visitors to the US (ALL of whom have constitutional protections against illegal search) are subject to pervasive surveillance.
But the fact that it extends to lawmakers and other public officials outside the scope of officially sanctioned lawful investigations (which are both allowable and sadly necessary) is absolutely terrifying. This takes everything straight to reign-of-terror status.
You see, because of a few fundamental facts of life.
I expect my politicians are dirty. They're mixed up in all sorts of things (sometimes it even comes out, see today's news on the former governor and first lady of the Commonwealth of Virginia)...
Continued at the dreddit: http://reddit.com/r/dredmorbius
Somewhat expanded from an earlier G+ post, with cites and links, including a statement from the late Mssr. du Plessis.
http://www.reddit.com/r/dredmorbius/comments/2cb6nf/a_nations_intelligence_apparatus_spying_on_its/