Sorry, by "Congress" I wasn't referring to the version in place 35 years ago in the post-Watergate Era.
As you note, the Congress of today has rolled back FISA and added new, more pliant laws (e.g., Patriot Act).
We are in a different era where all three branches are gladly pushing the reasonable clause far beyond the intended use. That's the result and it is Constitutional because all three branches say so.
> Sorry, by "Congress" I wasn't referring to the version in place 35 years ago in the post-Watergate Era.
I am not sue that the "version" of Congress has changed as much as the attitude of the people toward the government. While abstract anti-government rhetoric is perhaps even more common now than in the post-Watergate Era, specifically directed outrage at particular abuses like the (far more pervasive today than in the Watergate Era) use of national security resources for surveillance of the population (and not just foreign communication) is far more muted.
As you note, the Congress of today has rolled back FISA and added new, more pliant laws (e.g., Patriot Act).
We are in a different era where all three branches are gladly pushing the reasonable clause far beyond the intended use. That's the result and it is Constitutional because all three branches say so.