In light of the ongoing controversy surrounding the NSA, Rob Beschizza over at Boing Boing has unearthed a gem from the New York Times archives. David Burnham's 1983 article, titled "The Silent Power Of The NSA," warns that "no laws define the limits of the NSA's power," adding that the agency's budget is not monitored correctly by congress. Although published over 30 years ago, many parts of Burnham's eerily prophetic article remain pertinent today. Boing Boing highlights a single passage from the article, which includes the following quote:

Every day, in almost every area of culture and commerce, systems and procedures are being adopted by private companies and organizations as well as by the nation's security leaders that make it easier for the NSA to dominate American society should it ever decide such action is necessary.

For the full article, head to the Times.