Fourth Amendment

I was arguing on Disqus about the NSA's phone program. In school, I hadn't taken criminal procedure, the class in which they study fourth amendment law. Not having any specific knowledge, I ended up arguing based on sheer principle and what to me is good sense given the real-world circumstances. 

But I do have a book on criminal procedure, and I was looking over the fourth amendment chapter last night--it's much more reasonable, balanced, and holistic than the libertarians would have you believe. The gap between libertarian belief and fourth amendment law isn't as wide as that between the gospels and conservative Christianity, but there is a gap nonetheless. 

I shouldn't give in to the temptation to argue based on sheer principle. Knowledge is power, especially when combined with sensible argumentation. Knowledge means not arguing on your opponent's terms.