If the NSA has the information its claimed to have, then its reasonable to suggest that anyone in power has every little thing they ever did wrong in the past in the back of their minds, knowing the NSA might know about it. Recent revelations can only make that feeling stronger. So, while it is unlikely that every judge, politician, whatever, has been literally visited by a NSA goon, it is quite reasonable to suggest that such people rationally decide not to oppose the NSA, and act accordingly.
That is the whole reason why industrialised, comprehensive data slurping is a direct threat to any notion of freedom.
It's happening. You think they developed scruples after LOVEINT or whatever it was they called it? Have people forgotten Hoover in your country?
It is guaranteed. There's no way it's not happening. Maybe not everyone, but many people in the US Gov't have dirty laundry. And some of that laundry has been discovered. And some of what's been discovered has been used for blackmail.
I've never been more confident of any opinion I've ever held.
I think it's absolutely worth considering what power the NSA has that could be abused. Considering what we now know to be true that none of us suspected a few months ago, I think it's more irresponsible to unilaterally shut down speculation of this kind than it is to indulge in it.
The NSA fucked up based on what we know, there's no need to wildly speculate that actual blackmail is occurring too.
Blackmail is one of the more benign outcomes of the surveillance apparatus that's been put in place. Are you perchance familiar with the career of one J. Edgar Hoover?
It's just plain unnecessary.