OK, fine, we’ll only keep your phone records for 18 months

If you have a problem with the NSA being able to look at your phone records, I wonder if it really matters to you what the time horizon is for them to hang onto the records. I’m guessing not much, but in his big announcement that he’s going to supposedly reform this system, that is what President Obama’s big change really amounts to. The Washington Post:

The White House proposal would end the government’s practice of sweeping up the phone records of millions of Americans and holding onto those records for five years so the numbers can be searched for national security purposes. Instead, the White House is expected to propose that the phone records be kept for 18 months, as the phone companies are already required to do by federal regulation, and that it be able to preserve its ability to see certain records in specific circumstances approved by a judge.

According to a senior administration official, the president will present “a sound approach to ensuring the government no longer collects or holds this data, but still ensures that the government has access to the information it needs to meet the national security needs his team has identified.” The administration official spoke late Monday on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the proposal before it was officially announced.

The president’s plan, however, relies on Congress to pass legislation — something that has so far seemed unlikely.

I have to be honest here and tell you I’m not as incensed as many of you over the NSA’s ability to get this information. I have more concern over the trustworthiness of the Obama Administration to be responsible with the information, given its track record abusing the IRS, the NLRB and other arms of government to punish its political enemies. I think the ability to get the information is vital to national security, and that’s why we need to elect honest people who can be trusted to wield that power responsibly.

But those of you who are upset about the NSA, you tell me: Does this address your concerns?




Credit to Canada Free Press