You've got to be kidding me

So, yesterday it was revealed that the NSA has been collecting data from all the major phone companies, with the exception of Qwest.
A couple of thoughts:
Why, if this was a legal program, did the NSA refuse to get some sort of written approval from ANY of the institutions that have oversight on this (specifically: the FISA court or the Attorney General [who I'm pretty sure would have cleared it])?
At what point do the the people in power start thinking, "Well, I'm [X], so I can do pretty much whatever the fuck I want, because no one will catch me?"
Lastly, and probably most importantly, when are the people in power going to realize that this is the goddamn 21st century? This is the Information Age, baby. If something happens, and someone (or a group of someones) doesn't like it, what do you think the odds are that the Sphere O' Blog will pick up on it (from the left or right) and get it out to the rest of the folks that think the same way as said blogger. That's right, kids: 100%!
A word of wisdom to the folks in the Beltway:
Lying to us Middle Americans isn't going to be as easy as it was in years past. Yes, there's a lot of bullshit to sift through, and frankly too much of it comes from you assholes. But we're out here, watching. We're going to make your lives difficult until you realize that you work for us, motherfuckers.
via Atrios and TAP