In 2007, Candidate Obama wisely decried the warrantless surveillance of American citizens, calling the argument that such surveillance was necessary "a false choice between the liberties we cherish and the security we provide" and demanding an end to the use of national security letters to "spy on citizens who are not suspected of a crime" Yet as President, President Obama has used the authority of the Patriot to engage in such spying - and the fig leaf of a warrant does not make that choice any more palatable.
This experience makes clear that protecting our civil liberties requires more than just good intentions - it requires a Constitutional guarantee. Citizens not suspected of crimes should not be the subject of surveillance, and Americans should not be surveilled en masse.