Like I said in an earlier post…today will be my NSA day and what it has actually accomplished….I know most Americans will agree with good old Rush about what a dastardly deed it is to spy on American citizens….I mean the NSA has collected metadata enough to keep a sleepless android working for years to sort through all that stuff…..

We hear that some of it was by necessity so that we could remain safe and secure in our homes while the spy dudes diligently browsed through their collections looking for that elusive “bad guy”…..but with all that diligence, how much safer are we?

(Photo courtesy of AP)

Good question…..and there is at least one answer…I am sure there are others….but this one I like….

Newser) – The NSA’s controversial trove of phone metadata “has had no discernible impact on preventing acts of terrorism,” a new analysis of 225 terrorism cases from the nonprofit New America Foundation has concluded. Most of the cases it looked at were cracked using old-fashioned investigative tools, like tip-offs from family or community members, or the use of informants, the Washington Post reports. Bulk surveillance had “only the most marginal of impacts,” helping to initiate at most 1.8% of cases.

The government argues that the NSA database allows it to respond rapidly. But in the main case it cites to defend the program—in which a man was convicted of sending money to Somali terrorists—the FBI waited two months to act on the NSA’s tip. The report largely backs up President Obama’s advisory panel. Obama will announce proposed reforms for the program Friday. But while he could stop the program on his own, he’s expected to instead suggest a public-private hybrid program to replace it—which will require always elusive Congressional approval, Politico reports.

So I ask again….Are We Safer?

Your thoughts would be appreciated……