NSA Collection Of Verizon Phone Records Defended By Top Senators

[Cali_Democrat]

Source: Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- Reports that the National Security Agency is collecting the phone logs of millions of U.S. Verizon customers may have hit with a boom Wednesday night, prompting concerns of government overreach and infringements on civil liberties -- but don't expect Congress to do anything about it.

On Capitol Hill, some lawmakers expressed immediate alarm to news that a FISA court had granted a request for an "ongoing, daily basis" collection of call data, as reported by The Guardian. But those with the authority to take action moved first to vigorously defend the program, calling it routine.

"I read intelligence carefully, and I know that people are trying to get to us," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. "This is to ferret this out before it happens. It's called protecting America."

She handed out letters she and Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), the top Republican on the committee, wrote to their colleagues in 2010 and 2011 explaining how the program worked, and urging that they support it. Congress did so.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/verizon-phone-records-nsa_n_3397058.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

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Looks like this will continue unabated. It appears as though members of both parties are for it.

[Autumn]

1. Top Senators, top assholes. Not a lot of difference.

[RKP5637]

3. And often the ones that lead the nation onto these rocky cliffs and

slippery slopes to begin with.

[fujiyama]

9. I'm sure the NSA is tracking this

but honestly, I think a couple of these Senators should be tossed off some rocky cliffs...

[RKP5637]

12. We have people in congress that absolutely do not belong there! Naive people

vote them in, as well as political power machines and those using them for their personal/financial gain.

[JoeyT]

6. A shitheel and a war profiteer, respectively.

One is an honest to god fascist that thinks 1984 was a how-to guide, the other strongly objects to violence she doesn't personally profit from. It's either bipartisanship at its finest or the worst buddy-cop movie I've ever heard of.

[L0oniX]

4. Ah ...I see that the jury has already sucked.

[BanzaiBonnie]

5. Time to to get rid of some senators

Who's up in 2014?

[Psephos]

7. Easy to figure out who's getting campaign donations from rent-seekers. n/t

[blkmusclmachine]

8. 1 Party, 2 Faces.

[delrem]

10. Feinstein doesn't know "intelligence" when she sees it.

She's clueless but does as she's told.

How to say "this is a problem, people!" ?

[CountAllVotes]

11. Feinstein

She has been and always will be nothing but a shill and a liar.

I cannot stand this woman and no, I have NEVER voted for her.

I was done with her already back in 1978 when she wormed her way into the job of the Mayor of the City of San Francisco!!!

No thanks DEAR DIANNE!!!!

[Solly Mack]

13. I wonder what carrier(s) members of Congress use.

And I wonder if their numbers, or their family's numbers, were exempt from data mining/collection. It wouldn't be impossible to exclude certain numbers.

I'd like to see an investigation of this.

[Bo]

14. ATT the phone Monopoly for over 60 years was in bed with CIA

This is nothing new...

[Bravatravels]

15. The hypocrisy of conservatives

Conservatives scream: No big Government! but please invade every American citizen privacy by going into their records and listening to their conversations... dah,,,

That is the America way... say one thing but do another....
USA USA!!! blah blah blah

[link:

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[FiveGoodMen]

16. But be sure to give Democrats all your money for the next election

It's a small price to pay for deciding which individuals will betray us.

[appacom]

17. Congress and the courts must grapple with the balance between civil liberties and protection

so stop crapping on the president. You want things to change - then get out the damn vote and get better legislators and court slots filled.

[neverforget]

18. And if any of it was illegal, they'll make it legal retroactively and

protect the companies that are/were complicit in the spying.