a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment
am_Unition  ·  3696 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Senate Republicans block the bill to end mass surveillance

According to the New York Times write-up,

    The N.S.A., Mr. Snowden revealed, was systematically collecting telephone metadata — information about who called whom, but not the content of what was said — from major American phone companies. The program began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, based on an assertion of unilateral executive power by President George W. Bush.

So how can a program initiated by the executive branch without congressional oversight require congressional approval for termination?

Edit: I'm guessing that the Obama administration pays lip-service to the notion of de-escalating the program, but has no actual intention of doing so. I hate this game.