Through the PRISM, darkly

The latest disclosures regarding the data mining of Americans' private phone and data information by the government may be the biggest scandal uncovered so far, but to listen to Dems and Repubs alike, it is a big yawn.  That's because both parties and their enablers are hip deep in the mire and therefore there is no political gain to be made by accusing the other party of malfeasance.  The question before us is in an increasingly interconnected internet world, can we reasonably expect any privacy rights.  We give all our personal information through any number of devices to anonymous people and organizations in order to function in the modern world.  Without cell phones, credit cards and other electronic gizmos, we may as well resign from the 21st century.  Indeed, someone without those encumbrances could fly so far below the new informational radar, they could be the ultimate provocateur.  I'm thinking of my 92 year old mother-in-law.  She is the ultimate secret agent, assuming they don't mine the Social Security Administration for data.  Seriously, I think the public is ahead of the media on this one.  There is no outcry, because there is no expectation of privacy.  If you ask most people, they will regurgitate the old chestnut about not worrying if you didn't do anything wrong.  Of course, it's just a small step from that attitude to cheering the Leader's latest alliance with Oceania or East Asia.  Or the repudiation of same.