NSA has largest data base ever assembled in the world consisting of phone calls from, to, and within the United States.

The National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth, people with direct knowledge of the arrangement told USA TODAY.

The NSA program reaches into homes and businesses across the nation by amassing information about the calls of ordinary Americans — most of whom aren't suspected of any crime. This program does not involve the NSA listening to or recording conversations. But the spy agency is using the data to analyze calling patterns in an effort to detect terrorist activity, sources said in separate interviews.

"It's the largest database ever assembled in the world," said one person, who, like the others who agreed to talk about the NSA's activities, declined to be identified by name or affiliation. The agency's goal is "to create a database of every call ever made" within the nation's borders, this person added.

For the customers of these companies, it means that the government has detailed records of calls they made — across town or across the country — to family members, co-workers, business contacts and others.

But wait a minute didn't Bush already address this issue?

In defending the previously disclosed program, Bush insisted that the NSA was focused exclusively on international calls. "In other words," Bush explained, "one end of the communication must be outside the United States."

This is why this guys poll numbers are in the toilet. He is constantly lying about breaking the law over and over again. It is well past time for him and his black booted thugs to be removed from power.

I have nothing against tracking terrorists in this country, but it is clear that this huge operation is going to involve millions and millions of innocent Americans in the vain hopes of catching a very small group of bad guys.

In the meantime all of us are being monitored and our phone calls collected which could then be used for any number of nefarious purposes by a government which has done nothing to earn our trust as of late.