If we didn't have this very important, illegal program there's just no way Jack Bauer could catch the terrorists. It's too bad the liberals at Salon don't get it. But thank God, the President does! He's not going to be some wimpy, tie-Bauer's-hands-behind-his-back-President like that weasel Logan.

You may know this program is wrong in your head, but George W. Bush knows it's right in his gut.

I'm sure it has occurred to someone in the Bush administration that they can find out who called a reporter that wrote a story like the one exposing secret prisons overseas.

I wonder if it occurs to potential whistleblowers who might become sources for such stories?

Can we trust the Bush administration not to use this kind of database for political purposes when they operate with no oversight? Is this the sort of thing the FISA judges wouldn't approve of?

The Fourth Amendment is very clear: if the government wants to snoop into your affairs they must go before a judge and get a warrant sworn out upon probable cause. Bush claims he doesn't have to obey that icky old Constitution if he doesn't wanna. Fox News is spinning this by saying that the government wasn't listening in on conversations, all they got was the numbers. I'm still waiting for them to explain why this snooping does not require a warrant sworn out before a judge and based on probable cause. (I'm also still waiting for it to rain beer.)

What will the Democrats do with this further example of Republican lawlessness? Never mind, I can guess.

This type of misdirection is already popping up in the right-wing blogosphere. An author at Right Thoughts posted to say that he didn't believe the NSA story was true because there's no way anyone could amass enough computing power to process the audio from that many phone calls. Either he's actually stupid enough to not have understood the USA Today article (which seems unlikely, given the reading level for which their articles are generally pitched) or he's attempting to distract from the actual information gathering that's taking place. Regardless, our Congressional reps shouldn't be allowed to fall prey to the same tactic. This is not only an unethical program, it's illegal (Section 222 of the Communications Act) and should be investigated and prosecuted as such.

Questions about Bush's mantra of '9/11' is

1. Does he really believe what he says?

2. Is it political?

3. Do people respond to '9/11'?

4. When does it cease to have any power?

5. Or has it cease to have any power?

I witnessed the planes flying into the Pentagon, and was evacuated out of Washington D.C. My neighborhood is filled with people who work at the Pentagon - both then and now. We are equally split on the power of the '9/11' mantra. However, we are all argeed on one thing - we must have PTSD, since we get the shakes, etc, when the topic is harped on.

Hmmmm, I wonder if Bush has PTSD from 9/11.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060511-1.html#

Here's the official transcript for those who want to read it themselves.

The word "obfuscation" comes to mind.

I honestly don't think the man has ever had a troubled night's sleep over it. If he did , the thought of using it as shameless political tool would be repulsive to him.

widdle georgie has a gut feeling, and it's working its way out his ass. let me save the nsa a wiretap: screw every single individual in the fascist clustercheney that is the bushit administration. twice.

This government in all of its ever-growing enormity is such a cobbled-together mess of incompetence that I would be shocked if anyone other than hacker-cum-indentity thiefs would be able to make use of the data.

Clinton has a tryst in the oval with a co-ed intern and impeachment is all the talk.

WHEN ARE OUR REPS GOING TO STEP UP AND START CHECKING THE POWER OF THESE DANGEROUS MEN????

It is the Congresses primary duty to balance the power of the President.

This is an outrageous abuse of power and the president and all his men need to be fired for their actions.

For some reason I truly do not understand, the Courts have held that who you call (and how long the call takes) counts as a "pen register." This was an extension of the log a hotel kept -- initially of who checked in, then who the hotel called on behalf of the guests, and then of the PBX records. (My problem with it is: if it's so public as to not require a warrant, that means that ANYONE can get at it, right? The answer is: nope, because they're not allowed to give out that data to anyone without a court order. Unless it's law enforcement, in which case they blithely hand it over.)

This is a "simple" extension to that: hand over ALL call record data, period. No need to specify an originating number or time period... just electronically transfer the entire database periodically, and let the NSA sort it all out.

Every single time I think I can't be surprised by the depths this country has sunk, this administration manages to go further.

They are not "seeking" data, they have already requested and got the data and have inserted it into a database and are currently using it. This is in line will all the other "data mining" efforts that have been exposed. Basically they have tapped into the backbone of the internet and are mining all your emails and internet communications. They are logging all phone calls (who calls who-not that actual conversation.) They are wiretapping all phone and internet communications they deem necessary. They are compiling passenger lists for all airling flights. They are imprisoning American citizens indefinately. They are searching people's homes without probable cause. They are detaining people without probable cause.

All without oversight or judicial approval. This is all illeagal and unconstitutional. Are the lessons of history lost?

Having watched the video of our esteemed liar-in-chief it is painfully obvious that he believes he's doing what he must to protect us... unfortuneatly it is from him that we now need the protection.

Ever notice that his eyes shift right every time he lies?

Give me a call... we'll talk about our "plans".