Posted on 05/11/2006 7:27:32 AM PDT by CrawDaddyCA
WASHINGTON — The government is secretly collecting records of ordinary Americans' phone calls in an effort to build a database of every call made within the country, it was reported Thursday.
AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth telephone companies began turning over records of tens of millions of their customers' phone calls to the National Security Agency program shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, said USA Today, citing anonymous sources it said had direct knowledge of the arrangement.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Yes. But they've carefully deflected all of those arguments by how they worded their story. Fox is now part of the MSM.
When I hear these reports....my first reaction is, that this is a real fishing trip...but looking closer to the real meat of the subject, one could see how such a project would force some people off the telephone system, and limit their ability to communicate.....
Your right. They are called "Phone Books".
Phone books don't record who called who and when. But telephone records have been used as evidence in criminal and divorce cases for as long as I can remember.
Hey! That was going to be my response!
Yeah I know, I just hate the thought that someone is keeping tabs on me for possible future use. Not that I lead an exciting life or anything, it's disturbing.
What's that, you say? You, in the back row? The president is a Republican at the moment?
Oh, well, then I guess it's OK then....
Yep. This "revelation" is obviously timed to slam Hayden and will, as always, be misrepresented to the public to be linked the the "domestic spying program". Oh, how I loathe the presstitutes....
This data has always been available both locally and nationally. This is not a new story, but they're trying to paint it as a new "leak."
I have an anti-tiger amulet. Since I started wearing it, I haven't seen a single tiger. It can be yours for four low, low, payments of $199.99....
It reminds me of the parents that have a hissie fit about their kids being subjected to random drug testing because it violates their rights. What about the fact that using controlled substances is against the law? If the brat isn't doing drugs, they have nothing to be afraid of, just shut up and pee in the cup. Just like blowing up bombs or spreading chemical or biological substances in the civilian populace is against the law, and if checking phone calls or emails helps reduce the chance of that happening, and saves the lives of thousands, or millions, how can anyone who loves this country be against that? The life is saves may be your own.
My only gripe is, that I know I'm no threat to this country, so they're wasting their time and barking up the wrong tree, but if they're doing anyone, then okay with me. There aren't any phone conversations or emails that I would be ashamed of being made public because nothing I do is a threat to national security so I have nothing to fear from random scrutiny. So again, I have to say, so what???
If the NSA or FBI monitoring phone calls and emails has even the slightest glimmer of chance of preventing a terrorist attack that could kill my parents, wife, or children, then sobeit. The excuses I've heard from talking to people about it for being opposed to it are ridiculous. Don't tell me about "big brother". I'm more concerned about the big muslim and his explosives and wish for 74 virgins than I'm concerned about anything the U.S. Government could do to me. They tax me, and that's the most unlikable thing the U.S. government does to me.
I'll get over being eavesdropped on a lot quicker than I'll get over being dead, any day of the week. Being on the wire taps.
"...cell phone call records would not be sent by first class mail..." doesn't support your argument that call records are not private. First class mail is private, it takes a search warrant for government to intercept first class mail and examine the contents.
Get a grip, Steve-b. This information has always been available, both locally and nationally. This story is being framed in such a way as to elicit exactly the kind of reaction you just posted.
Your divorce lawyer could, with proper legal papers filed, get a copy of your spouse's phone calls. Your local DA could, again with proper papers filed, get copies of suspects phone records. A federal prosecutor could likewise do the same. Some PI's also use these. (Don't know if they do so legally or not.) This is nothing new.
If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.
How so? The only thing disturbing here is the blatantly misleading title. It should read "phone call records". At no time were any calls recorded - only the actual phone numbers were tracked.
Things you might have missed in this morning's NSA story... This program does not involve the NSA listening to or recording conversations.
[T]he spy agency is using the data to analyze calling patterns in an effort to detect terrorist activity.
The program is aimed at identifying and tracking suspected terrorists.
Customers' names, street addresses and other personal information are not being handed over as part of NSA's domestic program.
Paul Butler, a former U.S. prosecutor who specialized in terrorism crimes, said FISA approval generally isn't necessary for [such operations].
- NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls, USA Today, May 11, 2006
Article's author disputes charge that the program is collecting personal information...Diane Sawyer (ABC): Let me get a sense of the level of detail that the government has been getting. Names? Addresses?
Leslie Cauley (USA Today): No.
Sawyer: What kind of detail?
Cauley: Call detail records, which would refer to the actual numbers dialed, your outgoing, incoming as well, but not social security numbers, addresses or names included.
- Good Morning America, ABC, May 11, 2006
Shame on you for disrupting all this knee-jerking for some actual facts--and sanity. ;)
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