I think that Americans (myself included) need to come to terms with the fact that in this day and age, with the thread of Islamic terrorism at every turn, the government will not be able to protect us AND keep our privacy.
The reality is that we need to choose one way or the other.
Islamics are not fighting a traditional war with uniforms. They have mastered the art of "blending in" with mainstream society, and there is absolutely no way to differentiate between terrorist and civilian. You have "political correctness" to thank for this.
That said, for the NSA to find them, they need to find you too. Your next door neighbor may be a terrorist, and the ONLY way for the NSA to find out and to protect YOU from HIM is to search his records.
Now, it's uncomfortable, and if you believe that our government can suddenly become like Nazi Germany, it's dangerous. But then again, would you rather the NSA back off and let YOU find the terrorists instead?
You can bet your bottom dollar that every country with half a brain is doing the same thing, except that there has not yet been a whistleblower.