Aw Shit... 'Leadership Makes Deal to Extend Patriot Act Provisions for Four Years' - FDL

[WillyT]

Leadership Makes Deal to Extend Patriot Act Provisions for Four Years
By: David Dayen - FDL
Thursday May 19, 2011 2:46 pm

<snip>

Congressional leaders in both parties made a deal to extend three expiring provisions of the Patriot Act for four more years with little debate. Earlier this year, the same provisions – roving wiretaps, court-approved access to business records, and “lone wolf” provisions allowing surveillance on foreign citizens without connections to terrorists – were extended for 90 days.

The deal between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner calls for a vote before May 27, when parts of the current act expire, according to officials in both parties who spoke on condition of anonymity. The idea is to pass the extension with as little debate as possible to avoid a protracted and familiar argument over the expanded power the law gives to the government.

Support for the extension was unclear. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., wanted tighter restrictions on the government’s power and may seek to amend it. In the House, members of the freshman class elected on promises of making government smaller were skeptical.

“I still have some concerns, and at this point I’m leaning against (voting for) it,” said one, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.

I don’t think that democracy would dictate avoiding, but engaging with that argument about civil liberties and the so-called war on terror. Julian Sanchez http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=13099 entered that debate with this paper on leashing the surveillance state...

<snip>

More: http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/05/19/leadership-makes-deal-to-extend-patriot-act-provisions-for-four-years/

:wtf:

:puke:

:kick:

[aquart]

1. I knew we'd never get rid of that POS bill.

I want it nullified. Every single item withdrawn.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

2. We got rid of OBL, we should now get rid of this.

[villager]

4. But "change" isn't supposed to actually mean, you know, changing things.

Certainly not in Washington.

[Lionessa]

7. You owe me a laptop, I just spit tea all over mine. +1000

[WillyT]

11. Welcome To DU, Lionessa !!!

:bounce::toast::bounce:

Glad ta have ya aboard!

:hi:

Sorry about your laptop...

:D

[Lionessa]

12. thank you, and it dried okay and seems to still be working.

[digitaln3rd]

6. Bin Ladin had already won way before we got rid of him.

No way you can look at Homeland Security, TSA, and the Patriot Act and think any differently.

[WillyT]

8. Yep... He Predicted Americans, Once Attacked, Would Shit On Their Own Constitution...

And a majority did.

It's just a goddamned piece of paper... right?

And then there's ole Ben Franklin:

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

:shrug:

[Lionessa]

13. Bingo, we can kill everyone in Afghanistan and Pakistan and

Iraq and Iran, and in the end Osama had already won.

[FiveGoodMen]

10. Agreed!

[Cali_Democrat]

15. Sadly, you are correct

He's was victorious long before we summarily executed him.

[Hannah Bell]

3. lol. was there any doubt?

[theaocp]

5. Power-hungry cowards.

All of them.

[Edweird]

9. "... and then the TSA touch their balls.... like this"

OBL FTW :(

[Exilednight]

14. Why am I not surprised? It's starting to feel like the former Soviet Union. n/t

[TheKentuckian]

16. I hate these folks, they terminally suck ass for old fashion notions like self determination and

anything like justice.

What a train wreck all three branches have devolved into!

[bvar22]

17. Might as well accept it.

Just like the Bush Tax Cuts for The RICH,

The WAR in the Middle East,

Perpetual INCREASES in Military Spending,

The WAR on LABOR and Americans who Work for a Living,

For Maximum Profit Health Insurance,

and unverifiable elections owned by private corporations,

the Patriot Act & Worse is now PERMANENT.
Its the New Normal.

Welcome to the New American Century.
The "Project for a New American Century" was wildly successful.



Who will STAND and FIGHT for THIS American Majority?
"By their WORKS you will know them."