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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsObama to Call for End to N.S.A.’s Bulk Data Collection
WASHINGTON The Obama administration is preparing to unveil a legislative proposal for a far-reaching overhaul of the National Security Agencys once-secret bulk phone records program in a way that if approved by Congress would end the aspect that has most alarmed privacy advocates since its existence was leaked last year, according to senior administration officials.
Under the proposal, they said, the N.S.A. would end its systematic collection of data about Americans calling habits. The bulk records would stay in the hands of phone companies, which would not be required to retain the data for any longer than they normally would. And the N.S.A. could obtain specific records only with permission from a judge, using a new kind of court order.
In a speech in January, President Obama said he wanted to get the N.S.A. out of the business of collecting call records in bulk while preserving the programs abilities. He acknowledged, however, that there was no easy way to do so, and had instructed Justice Department and intelligence officials to come up with a plan by March 28 Friday when the current court order authorizing the program expires.
As part of the proposal, the administration has decided to ask the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to renew the program as it currently exists for at least one more 90-day cycle, senior administration officials said. But under the plan the administration has developed and now advocates, the officials said, it would later undergo major changes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/25/us/obama-to-seek-nsa-curb-on-call-data.html
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)NSA falls under control of executive branch. Obama could stop illegal NSA spying with a 60 second phone call, if he really wanted to.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)but it's not like congress gives a shit about doing anything, either...
Part of me does wonder why Obama even bothers, since nothing he'd do would ever be 'enough'...
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)However, the fact remains that the NSA is under the direct control of the POTUS. Its only logical to assume the director is carrying out Obama's wishes, otherwise he'd be replaced by one who will.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)and then the ball would be in congress' court for approval...
Then once that is done, we'll see once and for all if Greenwald gives a good goddamn about what's been going on in Brazil, or if Snowden has the stones to criticize Russia...I'm betting dollars to yen that they'll both keep their myopic outrage squarely focused on Washington and continue to rat out legitimate spying operation, though...
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)I like the fact that he's going to Congress for this legislation so the new laws will be on the books.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)In my view, the POTUS shouldn't have to ask Congress to stop him from persuing illegal actions by a department he is in charge of.
That he continued such illegal actions , and tried to hide them until revealed by several whistle-blowers is what sounds like a quasi-dictator to me.