The ACLU is reporting that by this summer, a million people will be on the US terrorist watch list. As of this writing there are approximately 925,000.

Barry Steinhardt, director of the ACLU’s Technology and Liberty Program noted that “If there were a million terrorists in this country, our cities would be in ruins.”

All jokes about the IRS and Federal Reserve aside, gigantic dragnets like these have been historically ineffective at catching boogiemen. In fact, the FBI has complained that the NSA drowns them in dead ends, wasting everyones time, patience and resources.

Note: among others, security expert Bruce Schneier discussed this phenomenon several years ago.

See also: Nobody expects the American Inquisition.

Addendum: be sure to also check out “The Fear Factory” from the latest copy of Rolling Stone magazine.