You're spot on about money. I saw Keith Alexander's talk at the recent BlackHat conference, and was miffed at people applauding the guy, but then realized that

You're spot on about money. I saw Keith Alexander's talk at the recent BlackHat conference, and was miffed at people applauding the guy, but then realized that it's a Black Hat conference, the epicenter of the monetization of exploits. The other factor is that the NSA's reputation is irreparably tarnished, and they will continue to attract the wrong kind of people. I think we need to prepare for some dark times ahead.