shouting loudly

New AT&T slogan: “Reach out and tap someone”

I wish I were the clever person who came up with that quip. Nope, it was Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), who (in an unrelated story) is also the hero of the hour in the network neutrality fight in the House.

In case you missed it, USA Today (in a shocking fit of investigative journalism) reported yesterday that the NSA has collected millions of Americans’ phone records from Verizon, AT&T, and BellSouth. They never got a warrant from the FISA court, the secret court established to approve all domestic surveillance. (Remember that pesky 4th Amendment guarantee “against unreasonable searches and seizures”?)

This is downright offensive to anybody who deserves to call themselves an American. Congresspersons from both houses and both parties, including Republican Senator Arlen Specter from PA, have spoken out against the clearly illegal program.

Among those who have decried the program, Markey is the funniest by far. His other one-liner: the news represents “another telecom merger between NSA and AT&T.”
If you are a Quest customer, by the way, write your phone company and tell them you appreciate their protection of your privacy. They said no to the NSA. Verizon, AT&T, and BellSouth, however, rolled over with nothing more legally binding than a “please, sir” from the NSA. Shaaaady.