Sure there is. It's probable cause and evidence. :-)

Yes, I know it makes their job harder. But at the end of the day, they can be proud and know they took the high road while doing their job.

Let me throw this out. I'm not opposed to having different standards for national security vs police enforcement. But I think we have to have well defined rules and that we need some compensation for the liberties they take with our liberties.

For example, I could see expanded ability for national security interests to survail and investigate folks w/o reasonable cause. HOWEVER, any findings that did not specifically relate to national security must not be used against that person.

So, for example, they put Aunt May under the microscope and find out she's been she's been cheating on her social security benefits, but isn't planning on blowing up the Brooklin Bridge. After they close the case (and maybe after a waiting period like 6 months of holding the files), they throw the file through the shredder.

That leaves them open to profile people, do investigations w/o cause, etc, but they can only do something with the information in a very narrow case (national security).

It would still be pretty scary and there would still be potentials for abuse. A lot of checks and balances would need to be built in. But it's an idea.

Another example of compensation would be trade for the following:

1) ok, you get your national id cards
2) but you offer national CCW

Disclaimer - this is a bit off the cuff. there are probably holes everywhere...

-john