If the FBI is paying them to keep your records, then the FBI is still guilty as a party to the crime. Works just like paying someone to kill somebody, just because you didn't pull the trigger doesn't make you innocent.

Time to boycott Verizon and AT&T.

Nice, my tax dollars are being used for the purpose of spying on me.

any one commenting on abc news is automatically added to the fbi list for record keeping welcome to the world of orwell i wonder if they will find any good chocolate cake recipes on the list?

You know, it's only aproblem if you're doing something secretive you're either embarrased by or is criminal. I mean, go ahead, check my internet history, read my emails--there's nothing there worth getting worried about. If the government then didn't respect law abiding 'decent' people then they'd get us, regardless, with or without these measures in place. The outcry seems to be a lot of paranoia and guilty consciounces trying to squelch any possibility of being exposed. So, I have to ask all those up in arms, what are you hiding?!!

The direction this country is headed makes me sick. Get ready America, in a few years you won't have any privacy and probably a serial number tattoo on your forehead.

Sounds like Cheney is thinking again. "How can I circumvent the law and get information on everyone in America? Right, I'll get two no bid contracts to two very right wing Republican companies to do the dirty work and therefore I did not break any law." YOU ARE GUILTY OF CIRCUMVENTING THE INTENT OF THE LAW!! GO TO JAIL!

Are we not the Soviet Union (or any other police state)of the 80's and prior. "Privacy" is now just a slogan and/or a rubber stamp. I am sure that when I went to the library last, someone knew for sure what book I had checked out and how long did I kkep it. We have unleashed a monster (FBI) and now that monster has turned on us. There's no more Soviet Union to go after and ;therefore, now it's the American people they must go after on the guise of terrorism. We have SECRET COURTS who can give the ok to spy on us without probable cause now (I thought courts were for the people). We are certainly no a democracy, we run out and get cheated out of votes to get self serving clowns in the office who claim to solve America's problems in 4 years and then say, "Up yours!!" once they get in office. It's a dictatorship for sure. Our dictator isn't just one man, but a system who CLAIMS it represents the people. Welcome to USSR 2007 (United States Soviet Republic).

This is disturbing. When a government is given too much police power, even for ostensibly correct reasons, it creates the potential for corrupt individuals or cabals to exploit these advantages for political advantage. This is why we have limited government powers.

so the gov't is using our tax money to spy on us. sounds great.

I noticed I had to click on "Remember personal info?" is that for sale too. Wake up America, and see what is happening all around you. Bit by bit what used to be is being whittled away, in the name of patriotism, and fear. You've been had.

God bless democracy. You have the right to have your phones tapped without warrants any more, your library books are being watch to see what your taking out, the media is further restricted in what they can say and the major networks give into corporate pressure to restrict views that do not go with their policies. Your travel restrictions have been increased and your passport has been altered to that you can be tracked the world over. Your house can be invaded by any armed and non-armed people, again without warrant, you can be held for questioning for years without access to a lawyer, you can be called a terrorist if you speak up against the "establishment" and be tainted a "traitor" for just speaking up in opposition. You have the right to not ignore the laws of the land but your president CAN when ever he feels like it. WELCOME TO NEW AMERICA FOLKS - THE LAND OF TRUE DEMOCRACY.

I pay taxes that go to the FBI so that they can hire a private company to spy on me. The private company then uses my tax dollars to fund their lobbyists to influence lawmakers into passing legislation that only serves to rip me the consumer off in the marketplace.

Capitalism.

Ahhh, yes, now I get it!

Awesome plan! Who cares!!! They can keep my phone and internet records...they can do whatever they want to protect my safety. America, suck it up!!!!!!!! If you are not breaking the law, whats the big deal?? I don't care if they listen to my conversations or record my internet browsing. Don't act suspect and you have nothing to worry about!!!!!!!

You can't run an opposition campaign from Guantonomo Bay. To the folks who say "go ahead, I'm not doing anything wrong", I say look around you. In countless nations, those in power use these capabilities to remain in power. The laws are passed to catch the terrorists, and then are turned against dissenters. And who are they? Anyone the government perceives as a threat to its power. To a Republican, perhaps Democrats need to be spied upon, or locked away. To a Democrat, maybe its all Rush Limbaugh listeners. Legal weapons are always used in ways the original legislators never intended. One day, the government will mark as "terrorists" all those who want to remove those in power from office. You can't run an opposition campaign from jail.

Dell said: You know, it's only aproblem if you're doing something secretive you're either embarrased by or is criminal.

OK, let's go with that. Cheney and Bush should waive all executive priviledge and tell Congress exactly what is going on with this domestic spy program. After all, it only a problem if it is against the law, right?

A lot of you commenting on this are taking this too lightly. Every day our system is getting more and more corruptable, and it is getting time--hell, it is past time--that we citizens act and stand up to this socialist, fascist or whatever we are becoming, and take this country and our government back. Don't read this and shake it off. I'm serious folks. This country went to HELL years ago.

There have always been bad guys of ALL political persuasions. These constitutional rules are here to assure that no side has an unfair advantage over the other. Although politics is NOT a game, the neutral referee (the courts, the Constitution) favor neither side. Shrub and Co. are trying to block the Ref's view. Flag on the play!

"If you are not breaking the law, whats the big deal?? I don't care if they listen to my conversations or record my internet browsing. Don't act suspect and you have nothing to worry about!!!!!!!"

So what does GWB, Osama Ben Cheany, and, Gonzales hae to hide!!!???? If you are not breaking the law, whats the big deal??

This is the voice of tyrany sir!!!!! Get outta my country!!!

If you call known terrorists around the globe (or domestically), visit websites that are known as websites that terrorists use to communicate, do other suspicious activity with your phone or computer, you should be worried about this plan. If you have nothing to worry about, you have nothing to worry (or complain) about.

The same people that are crying in this blog about the government's policies are the same exact people that would be blaming the government if another attack happens on our soil.

I understand and accept the need for my tax dollars to be spent on programs that are designed to keep me, my family, and even the ACLU safe.

The records are already there, this program would just keep them on file in case our government needs them after the time period they would have normally been destroyed.

My privacy is not worth the lives of those that can be saved by programs like this. Giving up a very small portion of my privacy is worth catching the bad guys.

This is what Big Brothers are supposed to do.... keep the little brothers and sisters safe.