The recent scandals surrounding the NSA surveillance operations and the DOJ crackdowns on whistle-blowers, confidential leaks, and journalistic sources, are providing common ground between the political forces usually opposed to each other – the progressive left and the libertarian right.  Both are taking sides against the federal government’s abuse of constitutional authority after revelations about its omnipotent surveillance apparatus, and intimidation tactics against anyone who would reveal its secrets, have been made public.  While the principled outrage of progressives and libertarians is not yet generally shared amongst the larger, more pragmatically-oriented population, their impromptu confluence on these issues must be of great concern for those who occupy the seats of power in America.

Revolutions don’t happen when either the political left or right gain enough strength to overthrow the current government.  When that does happen, as it did in 1930’s Germany and on countless other occasions, it is more akin…