The STASI used to sneak into peeps houses to move stuff around to mess with them. The US is better on the info tracking, not yet up to speed on the physical presence in the ‘hood.
But that’s basically juvenile hijinks. The Stasi never approaches our near total surveillance state. They were limited by the human element.
The actual ubiquitous man in the fake leather jacket is simply not needed. They have one standing in every household in America (figuratively speaking)
Can our intel community destroy an individuals life easily?
Do they claim the right to kill citizens without due process?
Do they use secret courts, to obtain warrants that cannot be revealed by the targets?
Do they claim a right to arrest and hold incommunicado any citizen they deem a threat to the state?
Is it widely known that they brazenly lie to the people?
Is it openly expected that they would murder the leaker if they could simply arrange it?
Are they 100% beyond the reach of any aggrieved citizen to hold them accountable?
All yes. We have a super Stasi now.
NSA