You're surprised? Really?

Building on yesterday's release of the secret extension of authorization for the NSA to vacuum up metadata on Verizon calls, today the headlines are afire with indignation over further revelations of the NSA's Prism program (© 2007 GW Bush & Co.) and its years of doing the same with pretty much every email, phone call and online search in the country.

If I recall correctly, this is exactly what we on the loony left were jumping up and down about years ago when all the Very Sensible People were constructing logical card houses to explain why the draconian USA Patriot Act was necessary to national security. I dunno about you, but since that became what passes for "law" in this country, I've taken it for granted that privacy in electronic communication is a thing of the quaint and rapidly receding past. C'mon people, try to pay attention!

Update, Saturday: The unnamed editor concurs.