Cavuto: I am 'alarmed' over NSA phone record collection

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Cavuto: I am 'alarmed' over NSA phone record collection

Why surveillance is a 'big deal'

I've discovered there are two types of official reactions to all these NSA leaks.

Those who are alarmed.

And those who are not.

You probably know by now, I am alarmed.

You also probably know by now that many others, including some of my colleagues on this very fine network, are not.

There are very few who are gray on this issue.

Because it really is that black and white of an issue.

Some have no problem with the NSA collecting millions of Americans' phone records.

I do.

Some say they knew this kind of thing was going on for years.

I did not.

And because it has been going on for years, they say no big deal.

I say precisely because it's been going on for years, very big deal!

Some argue it's the price you pay for staying safe.

I argue if we're doing this kind of stuff, we're not safe.

Some insist that's just the price of technology.

I just think it's a cop-out to blame technology.

Some say 29-year-old leaker Ed Snowden is an isolated case.

I see 1.4 million Americans who have his same security access clearance, and I'm on the case.

Some are perfectly fine surrendering some liberties because they trust the government to do what's right.

I look at what the IRS has done.

And the Justice Department has done and I don't feel right.

Some say holding phone records is a lot different than tapping phones.

I say holding phone records is the step before you start tapping phones.

Some say, what's the big deal if all those records are sitting on some bureaucrat's desk and only he reads them?

I say, because they're not his to read, that's the big deal! Keep your eyes off them!

Some would have you believe we're making a big deal out of a kid who wants attention.

I say when the Chinese and Russians want to talk to him, he's got my attention!

It's easy to step back calmly and say, no big deal.

Just like it was easy -- at first--

To say the IRS was targeting just a few conservative groups, and say, what's the big deal?

Until we found out it was more than a few groups.

More like lots of groups.

And then, not just groups.

More like individual donors.

Lots of donors.

Then very big deal.

Just like I think it's a big deal when an agency responsible for policing companies under the healthcare law, starts hitting them up for money to promote the healthcare law.

All part of a pattern.

All the same slippery slope.

Some don't see the slope.

And just shrug.

I see how fast we're slipping.

And just scream.

But that's just me.

And I'm just pissed.