NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls

[Skeptic]

Try about 50%
Hardly decisive.

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/11592

Worse.  Newsweek puts it at about 40% supporting the NSA "program" -- and that's before the full details have come out and been digested.

Realistically, though, the popularity isn't an issue, since we don't decide laws by popular vote (thank God).  Only the legality matters.  And on that score, the laws' pretty blatant.

[Skeptic]

One more comment to the NSA'ers who read this board: what your agency is doing is illegal.  You know it, and we know it.  The truth WILL come out (it already is), and those responsible and involved will go to prison.  NSA, an agency with a critical mission, will suffer further great damage to its reputation and possibly the ability to carry out even its legitimate activites.

Is it worth it?  In order to run a program that by all accounts has turned up pretty much nil in terms of actually stopping terrorists, is it worth it to run roughshod over the Constitution and laws all federal employees are sworn to protect?  Is your job worth being involved in such vile crimes against the American People?

The American People want to be protected.  But they're not the cowards you seem to think they are.  They care about the rights and the democratic traditions that make this country worth fighting for.  If you have respect and love for your country, how can you be involved in what your agency is doing?

Food for thought.

[NSAreject]

Skeptic,

  Right on !  I am an ex-NSA'er, but with clearances from
other agencies.  I worked there for many years and I
am not one bit surprised at what is going on.  They have
thousands of databses full of USSID-18 violations and
don't even bother to purge the information, like they are
supposed to.  My Brother now works there and does
"data mining", probably of this illegal information - I
hope he is real proud of his mission - what a patriot !
NSA is an agency without boundries, due to people
without boundries (because of their backgrounds).
Never again, will I have anything to do with NSA - a
f'uped place to work, with f'uped people.

Good for Qwest, for not turning over their phone
records - if I can, I will be switching from Verizon to
Qwest...

[George W. Maschke]

I rather think it befits a small and shrinking minority of craven pro-Bush'ers who are concerned with power and party over country.  But you say potato, I say potahto...

Those who don't mind their calling records being provided to the NSA because they like and trust George W. Bush should consider the possibility of their records falling under the control of a Hillary Rodham Clinton administration.

[NSAreject]

All  terrorists would have to do, is purchase disposable
cell phones - that would put an end to this B.S...

[retcopper]

Those who don't mind their calling records being provided to the NSA because they like and trust George W. Bush should consider the possibility of their records falling under the control of a Hillary Rodham Clinton administration.

George:

Now THAT is a horrific thought.