Who's watching government?

WHO'S WATCHING GOVERNMENT?
[SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentary] Even before the latest revelations, there was plenty of reason to be concerned about the U.S. government's collaboration with telecommunications companies to tap phone and computer lines within the United States. But Sunday's New York Times report should shred any remaining doubt about Americans' need to know more about whether their government was stretching - or even openly defying - constitutional boundaries on domestic surveillance. The story suggested that the partnership of the National Security Agency and telecom companies is "broader and deeper than ever before." It isn't limited to terrorism or international transmissions - and it didn't begin with the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Times reported. For example, the government has been "collecting the phone records of thousands of Americans and others inside the United States who call people in Latin America," the Times disclosed.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/12/18/EDDDU029M.DTL

* Wider Spying Fuels Aid Plan for Telecom Industry (NYT 12/16)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/washington/16nsa.html?ref=todayspaper