Yes, collecting phone numbers is entirely different from listening to phone calls, a difference recognized all the way up to the Supreme Court. I notice the deliberate use of the word "monitoring" in news stories to confuse this issue, although the original USA Today article does make a point of explaining it.
It's the legal difference between cops watching who goes in and out of a nightclub, and going in and searching the place.
Robert, the NSA has been doing this particular operation for over four years, with continuous updates to bipartisan intelligence committees, including the period until January of 2003 in which Democrats controlled those committees. Are the current and former ranking committee members going to try the "I didn't really like it but I couldn't say anything" crap again?
Please spare me from the ludicrous idea that the Democrats have suddenly developed a moral issue with this. The manipulation around this issue is blatant.
Current Events » in reply to Surrender
Differences
The whole thread (69 posts)
- The National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans
- Here is something interesting - good or bad?
- re: The New York Times article from last December
- HIgh crimes and misdemeanors
- Brace for spin
- Tens of millions of Americans?