Replies

DB:

You are perfectly correct. This data base can be used for blackmail and extortion by the government at an incredible level.

I know that no one at FR has ever had an affair or tried to keep a serious illness quiet or even had an unlisted number to keep unwanted interests from calling you, but it does happen. In the hands of the wrong people, this would be a source of an absolutely unlimited growth of authority through the threat of revelation or simply the ability to track anyone and their financial transactions. (By the way, I do not think this in the hand of the wrong people.)

This needs, however, to be balanced against our need for security. The president has the clear authority to do this in time of great danger, just as Lincoln had the clear authority to watch the mails during the Civil War. The answer to how we balance the two is a political decision. I fear that with the MSM and the present set of ‘rats we will not have the debate we need.

But I also have been amazed, and not pleasantly so, about the president’s refusal to go to the country at nighttime and discuss the truly great issues we face with the American people. Presidents can overcome the MSM, but not if they don’t make the effort. I know that Bush is best when talking to a crowd, but such can be arranged. Nixon, not the greatest speaker, addressed the nation from the Oval Office 34 times and managed to carry the day in all but a few instances. Bush has done about as little as can be done regarding educating the people. In this way, he has behaved very much like the senior Bush and, just as the senior Bush became the plaything of the MSM, so has the junior Bush.

McVey

I know that no one at FR has ever had an affair or tried to keep a serious illness quiet or even had an unlisted number to keep unwanted interests from calling you, but it does happen. In the hands of the wrong people, this would be a source of an absolutely unlimited growth of authority through the threat of revelation or simply the ability to track anyone and their financial transactions.

The NSA is not looking at the content of the phone calls, only at a record of what number called witch other number. If they decide something is interesting, they must get a court order consistent with US law to tap the line and listen in. The phone records for most phone calls are compiled in Israel.

So you too, think actual conversations are being collected?

This data base can be used for blackmail and extortion by the government at an incredible level.

Think Hillary Clinton and the 900 FBI files.

I know that no one at FR has ever had an affair or tried to keep a serious illness quiet or even had an unlisted number to keep unwanted interests from calling you, but it does happen. In the hands of the wrong people, this would be a source of an absolutely unlimited growth of authority through the threat of revelation or simply the ability to track anyone and their financial transactions. (By the way, I do not think this in the hand of the wrong people.) This needs, however, to be balanced against our need for security. The president has the clear authority to do this in time of great danger, just as Lincoln had the clear authority to watch the mails during the Civil War.

The problem with the Lincoln analogy is that the Civil War was limited in duration. The current conflict is likely to last decades

I don't think the media have realized the full implication of this on their ability to confidentially interact with sources. Otherwise they would be going absolutely nuts

Your calling patterns identify you. If you have a set of numbers that you frequently call from a phone known to be yours, and there's another phone that also interacts with the same set of people, the probability is high that this is another of your phones, perhaps one whose existance you wanted kept private