NSA collecting phone records of millions of Verizon users: Why?

[Ravi]

Nope.. I'm a huge fan and donor to Institute for Justice (IJ). It's the ACLU without all the activist leftist bias... That and big sponsor for Cato and Reason and an occasional member of the NRA... THink I got those bases covered quite well..

The ACLU is an advocate for equal rights under the US Constitution and the law for EVERYONE, even for people and groups with whom they don't agree. The IJ seems considerably more selective.

Nope.

The ACLU has a political agenda that supports (at a minimum) socialism.

I will grant you that they are pretty devout in their support of an "absolutist" interpretation of the First Amendment.

But they absolutely tilt HARD and FAR left.

Right, that's why they championed fat ass Rush Bimbo and various other rightwingnutters.

Are you this stupid in real life (another rhetorical question).

 

[Mustang]

Not a conspiracy theory. It's really happening. The Guardian has a copy of the court order.

I'd heard this on Levin earlier and checked it out. The Guardian (left wing Brit newspaper) is reporting that the NSA is secretly collecting millions of Verizon subscribers phone records.

Check this out.

Revealed: NSA collecting phone records of millions of Americans daily

Exclusive: Top secret court order requiring Verizon to hand over all call data shows scale of domestic surveillance under Obama

The National Security Agency is currently collecting the telephone records of millions of US customers of Verizon, one of America's largest telecoms providers, under a top secret court order issued in April.

The order, a copy of which has been obtained by the Guardian, requires Verizon on an "ongoing, daily basis" to give the NSA information on all telephone calls in its systems, both within the US and between the US and other countries.

The document shows for the first time that under the Obama administration the communication records of millions of US citizens are being collected indiscriminately and in bulk – regardless of whether they are suspected of any wrongdoing.

The secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Fisa) granted the order to the FBI on April 25, giving the government unlimited authority to obtain the data for a specified three-month period ending on July 19.

Under the terms of the blanket order, the numbers of both parties on a call are handed over, as is location data, call duration, unique identifiers, and the time and duration of all calls. The contents of the conversation itself are not covered.

The disclosure is likely to reignite longstanding debates in the US over the proper extent of the government's domestic spying powers.

Under the Bush administration, officials in security agencies had disclosed to reporters the large-scale collection of call records data by the NSA, but this is the first time significant and top-secret documents have revealed the continuation of the practice on a massive scale under President Obama.

The unlimited nature of the records being handed over to the NSA is extremely unusual. Fisa court orders typically direct the production of records pertaining to a specific named target who is suspected of being an agent of a terrorist group or foreign state, or a finite set of individually named targets.

The Guardian approached the National Security Agency, the White House and the Department of Justice for comment in advance of publication on Wednesday.

All declined. The agencies were also offered the opportunity to raise specific security concerns regarding the publication of the court order.

The court order expressly bars Verizon from disclosing to the public either the existence of the FBI's request for its customers' records, or the court order itself.

More at link:

Revealed: NSA collecting phone records of millions of Americans daily | World news | The Guardian

Perhaps conservatives will now consider joining the ACLU.

Perhaps the Left will stand up and tell President asshole to STOP all of this now.

What were you saying when the Patriot Act was passed? You can't give gov't sweeping powers and not expect that they'll use it, sometimes in ways in which you don't approve. It's smarter to be for or against a provision of a law based on principle than it is to switch back and forth from support to opposition based mostly on which party is in power.

 

[TemplarKormac]

The ACLU is an advocate for equal rights under the US Constitution and the law for EVERYONE, even for people and groups with whom they don't agree. The IJ seems considerably more selective.

Nope.

The ACLU has a political agenda that supports (at a minimum) socialism.

I will grant you that they are pretty devout in their support of an "absolutist" interpretation of the First Amendment.

But they absolutely tilt HARD and FAR left.

Right, that's why they championed fat ass Rush Bimbo and various other rightwingnutters.

Are you this stupid in real life (another rhetorical question).

Are you this boorish in real life? And do you have a link to back that up?

 

[Ravi]

Nope.

The ACLU has a political agenda that supports (at a minimum) socialism.

I will grant you that they are pretty devout in their support of an "absolutist" interpretation of the First Amendment.

But they absolutely tilt HARD and FAR left.

Right, that's why they championed fat ass Rush Bimbo and various other rightwingnutters.

Are you this stupid in real life (another rhetorical question).

Are you this boorish in real life? And do you have a link to back that up?

For you, no. You are free to google.

 

[Mustang]

The ACLU is an advocate for equal rights under the US Constitution and the law for EVERYONE, even for people and groups with whom they don't agree. The IJ seems considerably more selective.

Nope.

The ACLU has a political agenda that supports (at a minimum) socialism.

I will grant you that they are pretty devout in their support of an "absolutist" interpretation of the First Amendment.

But they absolutely tilt HARD and FAR left.

Right, that's why they championed fat ass Rush Bimbo and various other rightwingnutters.

Are you this stupid in real life (another rhetorical question).

Yes, the ACLU came to bat for Sean Hannity back in the mid 1990s when he was fired from a radio gig in Atlanta before he was hired by Fox and became nationally famous.

The ACLU has a long history of supporting Constitutional rights for people who are on the right and even on the FAR right.

 

[Stephanie]

oh oh
links in article at site

SNIP:

‘Fascism!’: The Five’s Beckel Explodes At Obama Administration Over ‘Deplorable’ NSA Phone Records Grab
by Matt Wilstein | 6:58 pm, June 6th, 2013 VIDEO » 215 comments

There was a bit of a role reversal on Fox News’ The Five Thursday afternoon with liberal host Bob Beckel tearing into the Obama administration for allowing the NSA to obtain phone records from millions of American Verizon customers and the more conservative hosts defending the agency’s right to do everything it can to protect the country from terrorism. Beckel exploded with rage over the breach of privacy, accusing the government of sliding into “fascism.”

“I think it is one of the most outrageous examples of the stepping on the Constitution I’ve heard,” Beckel began. “They have no right to the phone records… It is illegal, it is unconstitutional and it is deplorable. I didn’t like it when they did it during the Bush administration and I don’t like when they’re doing it now.”

“They have taken this PATRIOT Act, which I think was the most dangerous act passed, and they have taken it and abused it,” Beck added. “You talk about fascism? You’re getting damn close to it.”

all of it here
?Fascism!?: The Five?s Beckel Explodes At Obama Administration Over ?Deplorable? NSA Phone Records Grab | Mediaite

 

[Ravi]

Thanks, Stuphie for your uninterrupted proof that you can't think for yourself.

 

[depotoo]

Thanks, Stuphie for your uninterrupted proof that you can't think for yourself.

now that's a joke.

 

[MarcATL]

Why not? Let's just go with the Conservative position when the Bush Administration started doing the same thing...

If you have nothing to hid, then what's the problem?

It makes me laugh to see people who were SO sure Bush was an evil despot now squirming because their guy continued the policy that they were so opposed to and having to defend it in spite of their earlier comments.

It's great entertainment to see a vivid example of Leftist hypocrisy!

What''s truly hilarious is those who were for it during the Bush Regime that are suddenly up-in-arms and "outraged" by it now...

HILARIOUS!!!

 

[Agit8r]

I never supposed that this would all end as soon as Obama took office. Is anyone really surprised?

I use a cheap burner phone myself. I would assume that most real terrorists would also.

 

[Mustang]

Why not? Let's just go with the Conservative position when the Bush Administration started doing the same thing...

If you have nothing to hid, then what's the problem?

It makes me laugh to see people who were SO sure Bush was an evil despot now squirming because their guy continued the policy that they were so opposed to and having to defend it in spite of their earlier comments.

It's great entertainment to see a vivid example of Leftist hypocrisy!

What''s truly hilarious is those who were for it during the Bush Regime that are suddenly up-in-arms and "outraged" by it now...

HILARIOUS!!!

...but NOT a surprise.

 

[flacaltenn]

It makes me laugh to see people who were SO sure Bush was an evil despot now squirming because their guy continued the policy that they were so opposed to and having to defend it in spite of their earlier comments.

It's great entertainment to see a vivid example of Leftist hypocrisy!

What''s truly hilarious is those who were for it during the Bush Regime that are suddenly up-in-arms and "outraged" by it now...

HILARIOUS!!!

...but NOT a surprise.

What's REALLY REALLY entertaining is to watch BOTH your sorry sides squirm since the real Civil Libertarians told you this was a major crisis 8 yrs ago --- and you laughed at us and both told us we were "supporting the terrorists"..

There -- I played the "We told you so" card.. But I'll play it just once per crisis..

 

[tinydancer]

Can just one lone leftie go....
.
"fuck the past Obama is freaking hitting iBush on steroids."

 

[Mertex]

Not a conspiracy theory. It's really happening. The Guardian has a copy of the court order.

I'd heard this on Levin earlier and checked it out. The Guardian (left wing Brit newspaper) is reporting that the NSA is secretly collecting millions of Verizon subscribers phone records.

Check this out.

Revealed: NSA collecting phone records of millions of Americans daily

Exclusive: Top secret court order requiring Verizon to hand over all call data shows scale of domestic surveillance under Obama

The National Security Agency is currently collecting the telephone records of millions of US customers of Verizon, one of America's largest telecoms providers, under a top secret court order issued in April.

The order, a copy of which has been obtained by the Guardian, requires Verizon on an "ongoing, daily basis" to give the NSA information on all telephone calls in its systems, both within the US and between the US and other countries.

The document shows for the first time that under the Obama administration the communication records of millions of US citizens are being collected indiscriminately and in bulk – regardless of whether they are suspected of any wrongdoing.

The secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Fisa) granted the order to the FBI on April 25, giving the government unlimited authority to obtain the data for a specified three-month period ending on July 19.

Under the terms of the blanket order, the numbers of both parties on a call are handed over, as is location data, call duration, unique identifiers, and the time and duration of all calls. The contents of the conversation itself are not covered.

The disclosure is likely to reignite longstanding debates in the US over the proper extent of the government's domestic spying powers.

Under the Bush administration, officials in security agencies had disclosed to reporters the large-scale collection of call records data by the NSA, but this is the first time significant and top-secret documents have revealed the continuation of the practice on a massive scale under President Obama.

The unlimited nature of the records being handed over to the NSA is extremely unusual. Fisa court orders typically direct the production of records pertaining to a specific named target who is suspected of being an agent of a terrorist group or foreign state, or a finite set of individually named targets.

The Guardian approached the National Security Agency, the White House and the Department of Justice for comment in advance of publication on Wednesday.

All declined. The agencies were also offered the opportunity to raise specific security concerns regarding the publication of the court order.

The court order expressly bars Verizon from disclosing to the public either the existence of the FBI's request for its customers' records, or the court order itself.

More at link:

Revealed: NSA collecting phone records of millions of Americans daily | World news | The Guardian

What's all the whining about? It has been going on since Bush was in office - nothing new here.

All they are gathering are the "numbers" - not the conversations or the names of the people who correspond with the number. In suspicious cases of terrorist acts, they will check to see what numbers had contact from the number they are suspicious of, and check further to see whether there is a link to a terrorist group in the US.

Since there are more terrorist groups in the US than anywhere else in the world, I would think more people would be more concerned about being blown up by these idiots than keeping your privacy. Go figure.


Reality Check: There are more terrorist groups active in the US than any other country in the world | Opinion - Conservative

 

[Circe]

According to the Wall Street Journal today, the administration ALSO is allowing all the agencies to collect all, 100%, of credit card data on everyone. What you buy, when you bought it, how much you paid, what you owe.

Totalitarianism.

 

[Mertex]

Can just lone leftie go...fuck the past Obama is freaking hitting iBush on steroids.

Try posting sober - can't make sense out of your post.

 

[dilloduck]

Not a conspiracy theory. It's really happening. The Guardian has a copy of the court order.

I'd heard this on Levin earlier and checked it out. The Guardian (left wing Brit newspaper) is reporting that the NSA is secretly collecting millions of Verizon subscribers phone records.

Check this out.

Revealed: NSA collecting phone records of millions of Americans daily

Exclusive: Top secret court order requiring Verizon to hand over all call data shows scale of domestic surveillance under Obama

The National Security Agency is currently collecting the telephone records of millions of US customers of Verizon, one of America's largest telecoms providers, under a top secret court order issued in April.

The order, a copy of which has been obtained by the Guardian, requires Verizon on an "ongoing, daily basis" to give the NSA information on all telephone calls in its systems, both within the US and between the US and other countries.

The document shows for the first time that under the Obama administration the communication records of millions of US citizens are being collected indiscriminately and in bulk – regardless of whether they are suspected of any wrongdoing.

The secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Fisa) granted the order to the FBI on April 25, giving the government unlimited authority to obtain the data for a specified three-month period ending on July 19.

Under the terms of the blanket order, the numbers of both parties on a call are handed over, as is location data, call duration, unique identifiers, and the time and duration of all calls. The contents of the conversation itself are not covered.

The disclosure is likely to reignite longstanding debates in the US over the proper extent of the government's domestic spying powers.

Under the Bush administration, officials in security agencies had disclosed to reporters the large-scale collection of call records data by the NSA, but this is the first time significant and top-secret documents have revealed the continuation of the practice on a massive scale under President Obama.

The unlimited nature of the records being handed over to the NSA is extremely unusual. Fisa court orders typically direct the production of records pertaining to a specific named target who is suspected of being an agent of a terrorist group or foreign state, or a finite set of individually named targets.

The Guardian approached the National Security Agency, the White House and the Department of Justice for comment in advance of publication on Wednesday.

All declined. The agencies were also offered the opportunity to raise specific security concerns regarding the publication of the court order.

The court order expressly bars Verizon from disclosing to the public either the existence of the FBI's request for its customers' records, or the court order itself.

More at link:

Revealed: NSA collecting phone records of millions of Americans daily | World news | The Guardian

What's all the whining about? It has been going on since Bush was in office - nothing new here.

All they are gathering are the "numbers" - not the conversations or the names of the people who correspond with the number. In suspicious cases of terrorist acts, they will check to see what numbers had contact from the number they are suspicious of, and check further to see whether there is a link to a terrorist group in the US.

Since there are more terrorist groups in the US than anywhere else in the world, I would think more people would be more concerned about being blown up by these idiots than keeping your privacy. Go figure.


Reality Check: There are more terrorist groups active in the US than any other country in the world | Opinion - Conservative

except it doesn't work and Obama promised to do away with it. Other than that it's just great

 

[Mertex]

What''s truly hilarious is those who were for it during the Bush Regime that are suddenly up-in-arms and "outraged" by it now...

HILARIOUS!!!

...but NOT a surprise.

What's REALLY REALLY entertaining is to watch BOTH your sorry sides squirm since the real Civil Libertarians told you this was a major crisis 8 yrs ago --- and you laughed at us and both told us we were "supporting the terrorists"..

There -- I played the "We told you so" card.. But I'll play it just once per crisis..

But it isn't a major crisis - just people going freaking bat shit crazy over it, mostly to denigrate Obama - until they find out that many conservatives are in favor of it, instead of against it, and Liberals are the ones that are against it, except for a few of us.

I would rather the government be pro-active in finding out where these terrorist cells are in the US rather than getting blown up while attending a concert or marathon, like we just experienced. Consider there are more terrorists groups in the US than anywhere else in the world, I would think most would want to be on the safe side.

 

[jon_berzerk]

Not a conspiracy theory. It's really happening. The Guardian has a copy of the court order.

I'd heard this on Levin earlier and checked it out. The Guardian (left wing Brit newspaper) is reporting that the NSA is secretly collecting millions of Verizon subscribers phone records.

Check this out.

Revealed: NSA collecting phone records of millions of Americans daily

Exclusive: Top secret court order requiring Verizon to hand over all call data shows scale of domestic surveillance under Obama

The National Security Agency is currently collecting the telephone records of millions of US customers of Verizon, one of America's largest telecoms providers, under a top secret court order issued in April.

The order, a copy of which has been obtained by the Guardian, requires Verizon on an "ongoing, daily basis" to give the NSA information on all telephone calls in its systems, both within the US and between the US and other countries.

The document shows for the first time that under the Obama administration the communication records of millions of US citizens are being collected indiscriminately and in bulk – regardless of whether they are suspected of any wrongdoing.

The secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Fisa) granted the order to the FBI on April 25, giving the government unlimited authority to obtain the data for a specified three-month period ending on July 19.

Under the terms of the blanket order, the numbers of both parties on a call are handed over, as is location data, call duration, unique identifiers, and the time and duration of all calls. The contents of the conversation itself are not covered.

The disclosure is likely to reignite longstanding debates in the US over the proper extent of the government's domestic spying powers.

Under the Bush administration, officials in security agencies had disclosed to reporters the large-scale collection of call records data by the NSA, but this is the first time significant and top-secret documents have revealed the continuation of the practice on a massive scale under President Obama.

The unlimited nature of the records being handed over to the NSA is extremely unusual. Fisa court orders typically direct the production of records pertaining to a specific named target who is suspected of being an agent of a terrorist group or foreign state, or a finite set of individually named targets.

The Guardian approached the National Security Agency, the White House and the Department of Justice for comment in advance of publication on Wednesday.

All declined. The agencies were also offered the opportunity to raise specific security concerns regarding the publication of the court order.

The court order expressly bars Verizon from disclosing to the public either the existence of the FBI's request for its customers' records, or the court order itself.

More at link:

Revealed: NSA collecting phone records of millions of Americans daily | World news | The Guardian

the real question is

why was this information leaked

it isnt like this hasnt been happening for a very long time

could it be a diversion

away from the

IRS scandal among others

 

[Mertex]

Not a conspiracy theory. It's really happening. The Guardian has a copy of the court order.

I'd heard this on Levin earlier and checked it out. The Guardian (left wing Brit newspaper) is reporting that the NSA is secretly collecting millions of Verizon subscribers phone records.

Check this out.

Revealed: NSA collecting phone records of millions of Americans daily

Exclusive: Top secret court order requiring Verizon to hand over all call data shows scale of domestic surveillance under Obama

The National Security Agency is currently collecting the telephone records of millions of US customers of Verizon, one of America's largest telecoms providers, under a top secret court order issued in April.

The order, a copy of which has been obtained by the Guardian, requires Verizon on an "ongoing, daily basis" to give the NSA information on all telephone calls in its systems, both within the US and between the US and other countries.

The document shows for the first time that under the Obama administration the communication records of millions of US citizens are being collected indiscriminately and in bulk – regardless of whether they are suspected of any wrongdoing.

The secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Fisa) granted the order to the FBI on April 25, giving the government unlimited authority to obtain the data for a specified three-month period ending on July 19.

Under the terms of the blanket order, the numbers of both parties on a call are handed over, as is location data, call duration, unique identifiers, and the time and duration of all calls. The contents of the conversation itself are not covered.

The disclosure is likely to reignite longstanding debates in the US over the proper extent of the government's domestic spying powers.

Under the Bush administration, officials in security agencies had disclosed to reporters the large-scale collection of call records data by the NSA, but this is the first time significant and top-secret documents have revealed the continuation of the practice on a massive scale under President Obama.

The unlimited nature of the records being handed over to the NSA is extremely unusual. Fisa court orders typically direct the production of records pertaining to a specific named target who is suspected of being an agent of a terrorist group or foreign state, or a finite set of individually named targets.

The Guardian approached the National Security Agency, the White House and the Department of Justice for comment in advance of publication on Wednesday.

All declined. The agencies were also offered the opportunity to raise specific security concerns regarding the publication of the court order.

The court order expressly bars Verizon from disclosing to the public either the existence of the FBI's request for its customers' records, or the court order itself.

More at link:

Revealed: NSA collecting phone records of millions of Americans daily | World news | The Guardian

What's all the whining about? It has been going on since Bush was in office - nothing new here.

All they are gathering are the "numbers" - not the conversations or the names of the people who correspond with the number. In suspicious cases of terrorist acts, they will check to see what numbers had contact from the number they are suspicious of, and check further to see whether there is a link to a terrorist group in the US.

Since there are more terrorist groups in the US than anywhere else in the world, I would think more people would be more concerned about being blown up by these idiots than keeping your privacy. Go figure.


Reality Check: There are more terrorist groups active in the US than any other country in the world | Opinion - Conservative

except it doesn't work and Obama promised to do away with it. Other than that it's just great

Did you figure that on your own, or do you have something to back it up?

They used it in the Boston marathon bombing, so I don't see how you can claim it doesn't work. And, who cares that Obama promised to do away with it, he is capable of changing his mind. I wasn't thrilled about it when I first learned about it way back, but have come to appreciate that it's a great source of help in finding out who is part of a terrorist cell that could end up hurting more innocent Americans.

More Liberals are against it than conservatives, but this is one that I'm going to go with those conservatives that are for it, because I prefer "safety" over "privacy" - it's not like it has affected me in any way, so far.

Boston bombings latest: FBI 'use phone records to identify suspect' | Mail Online