> There's legitimate substance here, but occasionally, the system actually works exactly the way it's supposed to -- the judicial branch both asserting its inde

> There's legitimate substance here, but occasionally, the system actually works exactly the way it's supposed to -- the judicial branch both asserting its independence from the executive and striking down an overreaching action by the latter. Note that this isn't over yet. The judge put a stay on the ruling to allow the government to appeal. Note that national security letters have been around since 1978; and have been greatly expanded in scope in 2001. So depending on how you count, that's 12 years or 35 years of lost liberty. I'm not sure I would count that as a system working the way it's supposed to. How many years of living under gag orders do we consider acceptable?