And you need this because?

USA Today reported that the NSA has been compiling a massive database of information regarding phone calls made within the United States. The information consists of phone numbers and who the person at that number calls. It was also designed to track who calls particular numbers.

The NSA has been collecting information since 9/11 about calls made on landlines and cellphones. These calls could have been made from homes, businesses and government offices across the country. According to Bush

Our efforts are focused on links to al Qaeda and their known affiliates. The privacy of ordinary Americans is fiercely protected in all our activities.

If their efforts are focused on al Qaeda, why are they also collection information about calls individuals not suspected of having any ties to al Qaeda?

If you've made a call using AT&T, Verizon, or BellSouth since the September 11, 2001, your call information is in the database the NSA is collecting.

Once again, the NSA is operating without court warrants or approval from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

Once again the question is asked: Is it legal?

The author of The National Security Constitution, Harold Koh, said that the scope of the database being developed by the NSA was "shocking."

Koh was once a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun. He stated

If they had gone to Congress and said, 'We want to do this without probable cause, without warrants and without judicial review, it never would have been approved. I don't think any FISA court would have approved this kind of scale of activity.

According to Section 222 of the U.S. Communications Act, phone companies are not allowed to give out information about a customer's calling habits without a court oder. No court order has bee received or even addressed regarding this issue.

Neither our own government nor the phone companies are attempting to protect the citizens right to privacy.

Of course the Bush administration doesn't see a problem with this issue. Nor do many conservative members of Congress.

Senator Jon Kyl, a Republican from Arizona said

We are in a war, and we have got to collect intelligence on the enemy.

Yeap, the enemy. Those evil, scheming US citizens who use their phones to call for pizza delivery, or to order flowers for a loved one, or to just shoot the breeze with a friend.

There going to be a ton of those evil al Qaeda connected citizens calling home on Mother's Day.
[tag]
Ben Franklin[/tag] said something many years ago that needs to be repeated numerous times in the age of anything goes if Bush says it's okay. Franklin said

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

I'm not willing to give up my liberties for the illusion of security. And yes, folks, that is all security has ever been since the 20th century-- an illusion.

Cross posted on Can't Keep Quiet!