USA Today reports that the NSA has massive database of American's phone calls. They didn't listen in on the calls (as far as we know) they just have a record of who called who and when, like what you'd find on your phone bill...for every call in the US. Yes this includes US-to-US calls, even though Bush once told us that the program was only used when "one end of the communication must be outside the United States."
Yes, it at least used to be the case that for the government to get this info they needed a warrant, just like the 4th Amendment says. This program started after 9/11 under the command of General Michael Hayden, Bush's new nominee for the head of the CIA. Apparently all the phone companies except Qwest willingly gave their records to the NSA.
Today, Bush defended this program. Bush said things like "the government does not listen to domestic phone calls without court approval" and "the privacy of ordinary Americans is fiercely protected in all our activities" which is a nice mix up. The charge isn't listening, merely tracking and doesn't that violate your privacy? He also said "We're not mining or trolling through the personal lives of millions of innocent Americans". What does "mining and trolling through the personal lives" actually mean? If you look at everyone I've ever called, isn't that data mining my phone records? Read it again, it seems to be carefully crafted words. If you watch the video it clear he's reading these sentences.
Well if the Department of Justice can investigate, and Congress can't seem to get their act together to do so, I'm glad at least one newspaper can get more info about this. Who have thought it would be USA Today?
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