Marcy Wheeler | The Nation

For proof that the current surveillance programs are ripe for abuse, Americans need only look at what preceded them.

When The New York Times first revealed the NSA was wiretapping Americans without a warrant in 2005, it was a scandal. But the government continues to spy with impunity—and what was once illegal has become the law.

Faced with the prospect of trying to convict a man for leaking unclassified information, the DoJ put together a misdemeanor plea deal.