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House Passes Patriot Act Extension

By Jeralyn, Section Legislation
Posted on Mon Feb 14, 2011 at 07:01:52 PM EST
Tags: Patriot Act (all tags)
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The House of Representatives didn't feel any love for our privacy rights today. It passed the bill extending three intrusive privacy provisions of the Patriot Act. The ACLU says:

“It has been nearly a decade since the Patriot Act was passed and our lawmakers still refuse to make any meaningful changes to this reactionary law. The right to privacy from government is a cornerstone of our country’s foundation and Americans must be free from the kind of unwarranted government surveillance that the Patriot Act allows. If Congress cannot take the time to insert the much needed privacy safeguards the Patriot Act needs, it should allow these provisions to expire.”

Anyone else not feeling the love for Congress these days?

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    House Passes Patriot Act Extension | 17 comments (17 topical)

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    Still has to get through (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by andgarden on Mon Feb 14, 2011 at 07:25:45 PM EST
    the Senate and (of course) the President.

    I hear nothing of a veto threat (a veto would be sustain by this count.)

    Remembering when the Patriot Act (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Feb 14, 2011 at 07:54:02 PM EST
    was first passed, how violated and ticked off everyone was.  Those were the good ole days.  Now the White House leads BoA to agencies specializing in datamining and privacy violation in order to control what the people will know.  And when they extend the Patriot Act AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN....I yawn.

    And I believe that, like Egypt, the (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by caseyOR on Tue Feb 15, 2011 at 01:43:26 AM EST
    United States is still operating under National Emergency rules.

    When will Obama start speaking up for the rights of Americans?

    Parent

    When? (none / 0) (#9)
    by lentinel on Tue Feb 15, 2011 at 03:16:52 AM EST
    When will Obama start speaking up for the rights of Americans?

    Never.

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    Let's help him get there (none / 0) (#10)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 15, 2011 at 03:18:35 AM EST
    I'm feeling generous in my state of insomnia :)

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    How? (none / 0) (#17)
    by lentinel on Wed Feb 16, 2011 at 07:19:02 AM EST
    How do we help someone who is not in the least interested in our welfare become interested in our welfare?

    Therapy would only be of use if the subject wishes to change.

    The only way to help Obama is to threaten to throw his sorry keister out in 2012.

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    I remember too (none / 0) (#16)
    by Madeline on Tue Feb 15, 2011 at 08:32:42 PM EST
    MoveOn sponsored meetups with the senator or rep in each state trying to encourage them to vote against the Patriot Act. I organized the one in Miami with Bill Nelson,(who sent his aide instead).

    One by one over 70+ people read their letters to Nelson.  They were great letters; sensitive, passionate and informed.

    We all know what an impression that made on Nelson.
    Seems like ancient history now (sigh).

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    I'll have to check when the roll call is published (none / 0) (#2)
    by shoephone on Mon Feb 14, 2011 at 07:37:42 PM EST
    I'm sure my congressmen voted against it. But that's little comfort. It's very depressing how far afield most of our reps have strayed from the constitution. This is now the country we live in. It wasn't just Bush/Cheney and their motley crew.

    I linked it above (none / 0) (#3)
    by andgarden on Mon Feb 14, 2011 at 07:38:55 PM EST
    Here it is again.

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    Four of Oregon's (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by caseyOR on Tue Feb 15, 2011 at 01:41:16 AM EST
    congresspersons, including my guy Blumenauer, voted against. That's all the Democrats.

    Oregon's lone Republican House member, Greg Walden, was a predictable vote in favor.

    Hopefully, Merkley and Wyden will be reliable "no" votes in the Senate. Any chance there will not be enough "yes" votes (60 are needed for everything, right?) in the Senate?

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    Oops, thanks! (none / 0) (#4)
    by shoephone on Mon Feb 14, 2011 at 07:44:33 PM EST
    My old girl eyes not reading too well this evening.

    Yep, Jim (reliably) voted against it. But Jay Inslee voted in favor -- and is he going to get an earful from me!

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    and when Jay runs for higher office (none / 0) (#6)
    by seabos84 on Mon Feb 14, 2011 at 09:55:46 PM EST
    the Dim-0-crap line will be:

    if we don't get Jay, we'll have a sarah palin!

    IF you don't help Jay, you're helping a Sarah Palin!

    it is such a RELIEF to not vote for sell outs anymore -

    my first anti sell out vote was writing in my own name against cant-do-crap in 2006

    last Nov. I wrote in Medicare For All for ALL state and federal offices,

    including ineffectual Jim Mcd,

    and at least I know why I've lost.

    it actually feels better than the honey-bucket baths I got from Gary Locke, Gregroire, Clinton, 0-bummer ...

    rmm

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    According to the NYT (Feb 15), (none / 0) (#11)
    by KeysDan on Tue Feb 15, 2011 at 09:27:46 AM EST
    the provisions were extended through Dec 8 of this year. The House Republicans will now hold hearings.   Sixty-five Democrats voted for the extension, including C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee who argued to extend the provisions through 2013--as the Obama administration wants to do.

    Ruppersberger isn't in my district - I get (none / 0) (#12)
    by Anne on Tue Feb 15, 2011 at 11:28:03 AM EST
    to be "represented" by entrenched Republican Roscoe Bartlett - but Ruppersberger's been a disappointment, for sure.

    Think any of these Dems know that they are an independent branch of government and not just an arm of the WH?

    It wouldn't seem so.

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    Yes, Roscoe (none / 0) (#13)
    by Zorba on Tue Feb 15, 2011 at 11:55:45 AM EST
    is my representative, too, unfortunately.  Although, did you notice that Roscoe voted against the extension?  As Mr. Zorba is fond of saying "Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in awhile."

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    Perhaps it was Backwards Day (none / 0) (#14)
    by Anne on Tue Feb 15, 2011 at 12:55:42 PM EST
    and we didn't notice...but good for Roscoe.

    Just goes to show you how wacky the districting is, with you in Western MD and me in North Central MD being in the same district.

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    Maryland 6 (none / 0) (#15)
    by Zorba on Tue Feb 15, 2011 at 01:00:47 PM EST
    is huge in territory, but they base it on population, and we're pretty sparse out here.  Plus very, very conservative (which is why we get stuck with Roscoe year after year).  

    Parent
    House Passes Patriot Act Extension | 17 comments (17 topical)

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