The NSA can no longer do a quick gather of phone records now that key provisions of the PATRIOT Act are expired. But the desire to collect the data isn’t dead.

Government might consider a quick-fix that would require phone companies to keep records and hold them for a longer period of time.

No problem with that. But will they forget about warrants? Let’s hope not.

Using private companies also opens up some marketing ploys. Imagine the ads.  Real smart phone companies can brag, “We won’t sell you out to the government! Get two months free!”

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