ECHELON predated the Clinton years by quite a bit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECHELON Who knows what this thing is used for. The Europeans (and others) have concerns that it may be used to gather confidential economic and business intelligence. If you want to protect your (electronic) privacy, there is no option but to use strong crytography in emails etc.
I didnt state my opinion bro... I merely posted links to what I found on the net and asked for thoughts on the issue and if people agreed or disagreed with the columnist's opinion. My opinion is worth about .01 and you would still get change back. I believe whether dems or repubs are in office the US is doomed either way..... we are a corporocracy and the people are run by the corps, the people no longer run the goverment anyway.
WOW... you are really ignorant of the laws of the land... "Presidential signing statements are old news to anyone who has served in the White House counsel's office. Presidents have long used them to add their two cents when a law passed by Congress has provisions they do not like, yet they are not inclined to veto it. Nixon's statements, for example, often related to spending authorization laws which he felt were excessive and contrary to his fiscal policies." http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20060113.html
You'd have to be pretty slow to believe that. The NSA's sole duty is to collect and decipher communication intelligence. The NSA just so happens to operate a global electronic dragnet that intercepts and collects......communication intelligence!! And you're still wondering what they use it for?? Hopeless.