Where Is The Danger That Warrants Using Spy Satellites On Americans?

The Washington Post and all the other big papers reported yesterday that the Department of Fatherland Security (DHS) is planning to take control of spy satelites that were developed during and soon after the Cold War to spy on our Communist adversaries. Apparently the administration is not afraid of the Russians any longer because Mr. Chertoff announced that these satellites are to be used to spy on America now.
This step is another in a series that unquestionably cross the line into totalitarian and unconstitutional usurpation of power by the executive branch of government under the misguided leadership of our idiot President.
There is a rising tide of incursions into the private lives of American citizens. It is steadily creeping into every crevice of our communications, transactions and movement. This universal movement towards governmental control of the populace takes a great deal of people doing many different things. In order for so many people in the administration to dedicate such effort to gradually erode our liberty there must be a powerful motivation that is shared by all of them. There must be a terrible fear of something that would lead so many departments to coordinate to violate our liberty.
I may be a little dull, but I cannot fathom what the motivation might be. Of course we can say that it is a scheme to turn America into Nazi Germany, or to formally hand everything over to the oligarchy, but that would require the cooperation of thousands in a nefarious plot. There are not that many truly evil people in the world. The true sociopath is quite rare. Dick Cheney undoubtedly is one and Dubya is so stupid as to believe that he is doing good things, but the rest of the people in government certainly think that they are doing the right thing.
They must believe that we are confronting a grave danger here at home. But there is nothing in recent crime statistics, or incursions by “terrorists”, or mass involvement in revolutionary movements to warrant such fear.
So what are they so afraid of? Have they twisted reality as they spin White House press releases for so long that they believe their own lies? Do they all share information that the lowly serfs out here beyond the beltway are incapable of reading without causing mass histeria?
Please help this slow learner understand what might be the fear or other motivation behind this concerted effort to enslave America.