NSA began domestic surveillance just after Bush took office in 2001, not after 9/11 as he has claimed

Excellent article by Jason Leopold from truthout.org on this topic.

Excerpts from the NSA's recently declassified December 2000, document Transition 2001:

Pg. 32

"...because of the [21st Century] communications environment, availability of foreign intelligence information will mean gaining access in new places and in new ways..."

"The Information Age will...cause us to rethink and reapply the procedures, policies and authorities born in an earlier electronic surveillance environment."

"Make no mistake, NSA can and will perform its missions consistent with the Fourth Amendment and all applicable laws. But senior leadership must understand that today's and tomorrow's mission will demand a powerful, permanent presence on a global telecommunications network that will host the 'protected' communications of Americans as well as the targeted communications of adversaries." [Note that the word "protected" is in quotation marks in the original. What does that imply?]

A wonderful and comprehensive collection of documents on/from the NSA from the National Security Archive at George Washington University.