Video: Ron Paul: NSA Seizing Phone Records Symptom of Failure of The State

Former Congressman Ron Paul interviewed by Fox's Neil Cavuto on the intensifying spying by the US government on her constituencies.

Austrian economist Gary North on the public's backlash from the fast expanding Orwellian Big Brother state (hat tip Bob Wenzel) (bold original)

This will in no way reverse the process. The cost of monitoring everyone continues to fall. Economics teaches that when the price of anything falls, more is demanded.

Only one thing can reverse this: budget cuts for the offending agencies. Congress never imposes budget cuts, especially on the NSA (No Such Agency).

Most voters know that this invasion of their privacy is illegitimate. They also know that Congress will do nothing about it. It will hold hearings — maybe even closed-door hearings. But nothing will change.

Nevertheless, headlines like these are always positive. They help lower the public’s assessment of the federal government’s legitimacy. Ultimately, civil government is about power, but legitimacy increases voluntary compliance by the public. Every time the government loses a little legitimacy, it’s positive.