Bush is So Bored He's Spying on You

[AngelicKnight]

Against my better judgement, I'm starting this thread. I know a lot of people are surely sick of the over-coverage of this issue thus far. That said...

What's the big hubbub? There's no listening in on conversations, just a record of what phone numbers called what other phone numbers...the same records your phone company (without a warrant) keeps, the same numbers you get on your phone bill. Who cares if Uncle Sam knows who I called two weeks ago? Especially when SBC knows? Woopty-frickin'-do.

But what kills me is the, yet again, blatent Democrat hypocrisy on this one. (I'm not a Republican either, so I feel just fine picking on everybody.) Eschelon, which HAS spied on phone conversations without any warrants, was a-ok with the Clinton Administration. Of course, when Democrats do it, that's ok, it's just the Republicans you can't have spying on you. Yeah, that makes sense.

Any thoughts?

[morganlefay]

!!!!!!!!!!I AM CANADIAN!!!!!!

WOO HOO


MLF

[nihil]

Hmmmm,

I can't see the problem as the Telcos need this information for billing purposes and to resolve queries and disputes.

I wonder what happens if you use "pay as you go" cellphones. There is no record of who even bought them?

[morganlefay]

Isnt there some kinda privacy act that prevents the telcos from releasing this info....Cause in Canada they would be in big dodo for doing that

oh yeah...americans lost all thier rights with the patriot act.......national security ...you know


pfft

MLF

[Tiger Shark]

Mistress LeFay:

Wait till your government ask your ISP for your surfing records...

[AngelicKnight]

Rights to protect WHAT though? Oh no, they can see who I called? And I care about this why?

If they're listening in on me, that I can see us having a problem with. But simply knowing 555-555-5555 called 555-555-5556 on Dec. 1st 2004 is hardly an invasion of anything, other than the poor guy who has to sift through all these numbers!

[morganlefay]

And I care about this why?

Its none of thier fricken business.....I wonder what else they got

As for my surfing habits............its my kids...I tell ya.

MLF

[AngelicKnight]

Do you really think they're looking at anyone's phone numbers other than ligitimately suspicious people? Why would they? I doubt there's someone randomly looking at what phone numbers called what other phone numbers because he has nothing else to do.

However, if I have the phone number for Terrorist Wannabe #1 who's part of Terrorist Cell A, I can see what other phone numbers have been calling him often, and maybe that'll lead to Terrorist Wannabe #2. Given there's no actual privacy being violated here, I say go for it.

Heck, even if they DID spy on my phone calls...they'd just be bored to death.

[Deeboe]

I agree, who really cares that that they know who I have called? I have nothing to hide.

To be honest with you, (despite this being an unpopular opinion) if they told us that they have been recording all of our calls too, I would be very happy with that. The government doesn't care that you just shared some stupid secret about your genetial warts with your buddy Sam. They are only going to listen to your calls if they feel you are a suspect.

The people that should care about all of these are the people that are doing something wrong... and if they are doing something wrong... I hope the government IS listening to them.

Don't get me wrong, I love my privacy, but I just dont care that the government want to protect us.

-Deeboe

[AngelicKnight]

I'm kind of riding the border on that one...I kind of agree with you, but I see the potential for trouble.

Keep in mind, many -- if not, let's be honest, most -- people in government are dishonest and have agendas. If the right politician with the right strings to pull can start using such privaledges to spy on the phone calls on their political opponents, then we have big trouble.