OK, no disagreement. But let’s take a look at it from a slightly different angle.
How many people in D.C. had been aware of the NSA program that Snowden exposed, and for how long? 50? 500? 5000? How many congresscritters? Their aides? And no one until Snowden came out talking. Heck, there are mortgages, car payments to make, I don’t want to get stuck at the Moscow airport for 6 weeks, etc. How many other similar programs are there now tracking G_d knows what else? Is the IRS watching my credit card bills? Where are the patriots there in Washington? I hear crickets.
The NSA program actually started in 1995:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3031520/posts
I've been trying to tell people for a year on here. We've got a 4 star idiot in the Army in charge of NSA but only Congress can approve that billet. He's one thing I'll never thank Tony Zinni or Tommy Franks for.