What. the. fuck.
Firstly, we're 51st in the world for our 'population size'. Secondly, the majority of this population live in concentrated areas along the Eastern coast. Despite the fact we have a large land mass, the population is not distributed evenly throughout.
Thirdly, you're missing the point. Again. As always.
This is not the first attempt by the government to have the right to access all facets of out lives. First there was the national identity card, more recently the 'pornography opt in list', and now the right to phone tap anybody. This allows the government to listen in to the conversations of anybody if there is even the slightest hint of terrorist activity. This is basically assuming that everybody is a potential terrorist, until proven otherwise.
Nobody gives a fuck whether you think this isn't an invasion of privacy.