I've wondered for months why the major phone carriers keep lowering their rates. Why did AT&T just mount a full-court press for new customers, offering what amounts to nearly free service? Hold your powder, econ trolls -- I get the market forces argument. But now comes news that Verizon, Pac Bell, and AT&T have been handing over customer files by the millions to the NSA. Are they being paid a bounty on the taxpayer's dime? Are there escalating fees for every additional 10,000 phone numbers? How about new phone numbers? Maybe they're getting some sort of government bonus. As the surveillance continues while we wait for Congressional hearings, let's take advantage of our free long-distance service to jam White House lines and exercise what's left of the First Amendment in order to save what's left of the Fourth. The number is 202-456-1111 (comments); 202-456-1414 (switchboard). By the way, props to Qwest for holding out on whatever's going on here.
UPDATE: As it turns out, the NSA has, in effect, offered kickbacks to the phone companies. According to the USA Today article, it was suggested that Qwest might lose government contracts if it did not participate in the surveillance. And fines could be imposed. Companies that do participate are apparently being paid.