Contributing Editor Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain and DotMoms.

Lawmakers are demanding answers from the Bush administration after a USA Today reporting revealed the National Security Agency was secretly collecting records of millions of Americans' phone calls to build a database.

Facing congressional criticism, President Bush sought to assure Americans that their civil liberties were "fiercely protected," without confirming the NSA program.

"The government does not listen to domestic phone calls without court approval," said Bush. "We're not mining or trolling through the personal lives of millions of innocent Americans."

Sister Toldjah says, "So let's see. Thanks to thisleaked story, if you're a terrorist and you don't want to worry about your call being datamined, what telecommunications company are you going to turn to? Hmmmm I wonder. Look for Qwest to be given hero status by the hate-Bush wing of the Democratic party"

The Mahablog writes, "Be advised that any objection we lefties raise will be, by definition, irrational. On the other hand, it is perfectly rational to accept whatever the government tells us without question. They wouldn't lie to us, right? Those righties are always so logical."

Echidne of the Snakes writes, "This is domestic phone calls they are monitoring, my friends. Remember how Bush said that they only monitored international calls?"

Deanne at the Huffington Post says, "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."

Michelle Malkin writes, "Translation: NSA--gasp!--is doing its job."

Brilliant at Breakfast says, "And yes, NSA, that's what I think. So you no longer have to listen to me explain to my mother that who wins Survivor isn't a function of how nice they are, just to find out that I do NOT support the Bush Administration -- that opinion is right out here for you, any time you want it."

Meryl Yourish writes, "Get an effing warrant if you want to track my phone habits. I am tired of conservatives gleefully giving up our civil rights in the fight against terrorism."

Firedoglake says, "Look, I'm as worried as the next guy about national security issues - especially considering how badly the Bush Administration has stirred up hornet's nests all over the world with their mismanagement in Iraq and their horrid practice of non-diplomacy and lack of forethought everywhere else. But I'm also more than aware of what an abuse of power can do to the overall integrity of the process, having spent time in the middle of our judicial system throughout my legal career. When you have consistent abuses of power, over and over, unchecked and unquestioned, there cannot help but be damage done - long-term damage, which will take years beyond this Administration to ever begin to regain."