do-mes-tic

Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French domestique, from Latin domesticus, from domus
1: of or relating to the household or the family <domestic economy> <domestic violence>
2: of, relating to, or originating within a country and especially one's own country <domestic politics> <domestic wines> <domestic spying>
(slightly adapted from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

So how does spying on international calls and email come to be continually referred to as "domestic"? Heard it again on NPR this morning, hence this peeved post. Plus, I hadn't posted anything in a while...