Siobhan Gorman of the Wall Street Journal has put together a powerful overview of the National Security Agency’s information-gathering activities, and those of domestic security agencies, including the FBI.  Gorman notes that the NSA’s efforts "have evolved to reach more broadly into data about people’s communications, travel and finances in the U.S." than the public is aware.  The data gathering, which has come to be known as a "driftnet," is structured to "bring together and analyze as much and as many varied kinds of data as possible."  It often pulls in information about U.S. citizens with no relation to terrorist activities.  Many of the defenses offered by lawmakers and intelligence officials are vague enough to give citizens everywhere cause for concern.  Read Gorman here.

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