For all those who believe some of us are paranoid or crazy or on the lunatic frenze when it comes to the FISA act, I have to wonder if you feel it is okay for the FBI to “breach” your privacy.  Why would the FBI need our bank records, our credit scores, or other personal information from the telecoms and internet service providers?

According to recent testimony before Congress, as reported today by MSNBC

An internal Justice Department report has found more improper use of national security letters by FBI agents seeking personal data on Americans during terror and spy investigations, Director Robert Mueller said Wednesday.

Mueller told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the privacy breach by FBI agents and lawyers occurred a year before the bureau enacted sweeping new reforms to prevent future lapses.

Details on the abuses will be outlined in the coming days in a report by the Justice Department’s inspector general.

The report is a follow-up to an audit by the inspector general a year ago that found the FBI demanded personal data on people from banks, telephone and Internet providers and credit bureaus without official authorization and in non-emergency circumstances between 2003 and 2005.

Now, for those who say they have nothing to hide, I have nothing to hide either.  But, is that the point?  I think not.  Of course, we are just now learning about these breaches of our privacy that occurred over three years ago.  And, like the cheating husband, it’s always easier to say “I’m sorry” than it is to get the wife’s permission to go out with the other woman.

That’s what our government has done over and over again.  Pick an agency, any agency.  The FBI didn’t mean to get our personal information from the banks.  The FDA didn’t mean to let hundreds of people die because they didn’t see it coming.  FEMA didn’t mean to buy toxic trailers to house those who were displaced in Katrina.  I could go on, but anyone who reads the news and digs into a few stories here and there knows that repeatedly the act is committed and then ”Oh, we didn’t know.  We are so sorry.”

He [Mueller] added: “We are committed to ensuring that we not only get this right, but maintain the vital trust of the American people.”

Well, it’s hard to maintain something that doesn’t quite exist.  Talk about delusions.  Someone needs to tell the emperor that he has no clothes.