Given that mass surveillance and warrantless wiretaps violate even the stated limitations, I'm left with the question of whether constitutional protections can

Given that mass surveillance and warrantless wiretaps violate even the stated limitations, I'm left with the question of whether constitutional protections can restrain government? Plato's five regimes describe a cycle of degeneration which may be inherent to the human condition. Constitutional protections are only as good as the legislator's and judicial branch's will to honor them. A fig leaf which has little bearing on the underlying incentives.