okay -- the business of the maintenance of a data base of all domestic phone calls is abhorrent IMO, but I was under the impression that only records of the calls were kept, not content. I just saw the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee on CNN defending the practice, and among other things he said was that when they pick up certain phrases such as al Quaida and suicide bombs (his examples) it triggers them to investigate. WAIT A MINUTE!!!!! If they can pick up specific words or phrases, doesn't that imply that telephone conversation content is actually being followed? Was this dude simply mistaken or a complete idiot? Peace --
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ May 12 2006, 05:59 PM) [snapback]254374[/snapback]</div> I saw the same clip but you missed where he said "that doesn't happen".
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CinciPrius @ May 12 2006, 06:12 PM) [snapback]254415[/snapback]</div> Glad I was mistaken. I was really going ballistic! Peace --
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ May 12 2006, 04:56 PM) [snapback]254428[/snapback]</div> I was so expecting a Roseanne Roseannadanna response . . . “Never mind.†:mellow:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjflowers @ May 12 2006, 02:59 PM) [snapback]254374[/snapback]</div> Time will tell just how much snooping is going on. If it is as it is portrayed, and they are only amassing the data of which phone number calls which phone number, there are no privacy rights involved IMO. If they are using computers to select key phrases, then narrowing the search, at some point there should be a court order involved to allow further investigation. I think the correllation of data without content won't trigger any privacy concerns (but will still send the strident partisans on both sides into a frenzy.) Up until 9/11, the president's administration that requested the most domestic wiretaps was Bill Clinton's (by about 4:1 ratio, IIRC). That started after the Oklahoma City bombings, and while republican partisans tried to make something of it, I thought it was appropriate. It is better to catch them before they blow up the bomb, or fly the plane into the skyscraper.
