BULLSHIT: "10 years ago any who said the NSA was spying was a kook." Anyone with any knowledge of the manner in which intel was and is gathered at the national and international levels KNEW the NSA was spying on anyone they could spy on and in any manner they could get away with. And the Russians and Japanese and Chinese and French and Germans were and are doing the same thing.
The US is just better at it. And those of us who know more than a little bit about this (I developed and taught an Intelligence Analysis course at one of the local colleges a few years ago - the course was put together with the assistance of the US Military Academy (West Point) Lt. Colonel who taught the same course there)), knew that they would play havoc with the Patriot Act. They did. It wasn't surprising.
Ad hominem doesn't factor when someone asks you what your bona fides are after you make definitive statements about technical and scientific issues. That is called proper debating.
I will ask you again; what advanced degrees and what specific experience do you have that supports your definitive statements. I've partially shown you mine; show me yours.