If they store copies of all the metadata, then, duh, they no doubt have the metadata of Congressional reps, as well. No one used the word 'spying' except the headline writer.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
Leonard Cohen, Anthem (1992)[/center][/font][hr]

Is it only spying if they look at it?

The metadata -supposedly- is kept in a locked box requiring multiple levels of approval to view. So is that spying?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
Leonard Cohen, Anthem (1992)[/center][/font][hr]

...they could quickly look up the phone numbers of collaborators. It makes sense -from an efficiency standpoint- to have the metadata on hand. Otherwise, they would need to go hat-in-hand to every telecom in the country to hand search their records.

I understand that some are worried this could somehow be abused but there is no evidence that it is and even Carl Bernstein said it seemed to him there were sufficient safeguards in place to prevent abuse.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
Leonard Cohen, Anthem (1992)[/center][/font][hr]

identified.

Because as of today there are hundreds of telecoms in the country. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_telephone_companies

Taking weeks (months?) to go to all these companies would effectively nullify the intent.

This is the 21st century. The Information Age. We need to adapt to the changes. That doesn't mean we give up our Constitutional liberties. It means exactly what I said...we adapt.

Searches of the metadata cannot be undertaken unless with a warrant or an identifiable national emergency. With multiple levels of approval needed to run queries on the metadata, this seems to be the kind of fine line we always walk between freedom and security. The line we will walk into the future, as well.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
Leonard Cohen, Anthem (1992)[/center][/font][hr]

the 4th Amendment doesn't apply. The companies hold onto this "metadata" and the police or intelligence agencies can submit a warrant for that information. WTF is hard to understand about that? Why are you so willing to let the NSA hold onto this metadata?

BTW I never said that the police should not search for phone numbers. You said that. If they need a specific phone number they can get a warrant. It seems to have worked fine up until now.

Anyone who would believe that nonsense would buy the Brooklyn Bridge from a cab driver on the make.

But even if you think he is, there is no evidence the NSA is using this metadata to blackmail the world or whatever other nefarious schemes are bandied about.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]“If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.”
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]

You surely know the rest.

seems to me to be extremely probable.

There are few politicians with scruples - the more powerful they are, the more corrupt they are.

Would you believe it's all a matter of protecting the national interests and stuff?

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Frankly, I do not agree with your logic on that point at all, Donald.

is how Ray McGovern puts it.

I know everything.
Everything you do.
Everywhere you go,
Everyone you know.

is how Jim Morrison put it.