If the NSA has the information its claimed to have, then its reasonable to suggest that anyone in power has every little thing they ever did wrong in the past in the back of their minds, knowing the NSA might know about it. Recent revelations can only make that feeling stronger. So, while it is unlikely that every judge, politician, whatever, has been literally visited by a NSA goon, it is quite reasonable to suggest that such people rationally decide not to oppose the NSA, and act accordingly.
That is the whole reason why industrialised, comprehensive data slurping is a direct threat to any notion of freedom.
It's happening. You think they developed scruples after LOVEINT or whatever it was they called it? Have people forgotten Hoover in your country?
It is guaranteed. There's no way it's not happening. Maybe not everyone, but many people in the US Gov't have dirty laundry. And some of that laundry has been discovered. And some of what's been discovered has been used for blackmail.
I've never been more confident of any opinion I've ever held.
If the NSA has the information its claimed to have, then its reasonable to suggest that anyone in power has every little thing they ever did wrong in the past in the back of their minds, knowing the NSA might know about it. Recent revelations can only make that feeling stronger. So, while it is unlikely that every judge, politician, whatever, has been literally visited by a NSA goon, it is quite reasonable to suggest that such people rationally decide not to oppose the NSA, and act accordingly.
That is the whole reason why industrialised, comprehensive data slurping is a direct threat to any notion of freedom.