There are so few actual terror attacks that the FBI has resorted to goading innocent buffoons into making incriminating statements so they can claim to have foiled something.

There was never a real problem for law enforcement to solve. All we ever needed were reinforced cockpit doors.

but the rest of the cost has created jobs! it's the great jobs program of our lifetimes.

/s

I think it made some people incredibly rich, jobs are an unplanned side effect.

This, but without the /s.

The scope of surveillace is not to stop terror or, god forbids, corruption. The scope is the suppresion of opposition.

That seems to be something literally all governments, from Belarus over Turkey to China, the US and Europe can agree upon. Surveillance of ones citizens is good, consequences of this surveillance vary by country so.