Patriot Act expansion vote coming

Via TalkLeft:

The Senate Intelligence Committee held a hearing Tuesday on expanding the Patriot Act. The vote will be Thursday, during a secret hearing. The ACLU outlines the provisions of the bill under consideration.

Comments

[NeoCon Crusher]

People dont seem to realize how dangerous PA2 will be...

http://www.newshounds.us/2005/05/23/holy_cow_batman_were_really_in_trouble_if_fox_says_the_word_totalitarianism_in_reference_to_the_bush_administration.php

[Flint]

Most dangerous thing on the radar... hence the secret meetings. Lots of people need to be awre of what is going on.

[Eli (creepandblink)]

Christ, the administrative subpoena power is scary.

Still, once we get past the horrific capacity for abuse and unfairness, my primary concern is if the amendments will have an acronym as awesome as USAPATRIOT.

[Flint]

I took a closer look at what's in the New and Improved Patriot Act and includes complete suspension of the Constitution's Fourth Amendment stipulation for the establishment of "probable cause" before a search or seizure can take place... no judicial over-sight.

As I said... both conservatives and liberals don't like this at all. Here's what Bob Barr has to say:

"This expansion of government powers has resulted in a significant groundswell from across the political spectrum - resolutions opposing the Patriot Act have been passed in 367 communities in 43 states including four state-wide resolutions. These communities represent approximately 55.2 million people who oppose sections of the USA Patriot Act."

"Take Action! Urge your Members of Congress to support corrections to the USA PATRIOT Act and other domestic surveillance powers. Congress must act to ensure government powers adhere to the Bill of Rights."

* The government can now use a special intelligence court to collect information about the books you read, your purchases and your personal finances. Government agents can now obtain many types of your personal records -- educational, medical, financial, sales, library, etc. -- even if they have no probable cause of a crime. In fact, the PATRIOT Act prohibits the holders of that information, such as librarians, from disclosing that these records were turned over to the government.
* The PATRIOT Act allows the government to search your home and not even tell you. The law allows law enforcement agents to conduct secret "sneak and peek" searches of your home. Investigators can enter your home or office, take pictures and seize items without informing you that a warrant was issued for a very long time -- if ever.
* Spying on innocent Americans. The PATRIOT Act and changes to government investigative guidelines permit a vast array of information on U.S. citizens to be collected and shared with the CIA (and other non-law enforcement officials) without proper judicial oversight or other safeguards. This law effectively puts the CIA back in the business of spying on Americans.

[Flint]

Just one more note... when Bush critisized Putin for "undemocratic" actions he has taken recently... the first thing Putin retorted with was "well you use the Patriot Act to spy on your citizens."

[vanmojo]

Really my favorite part is that this comes right on the heels of the Department of Justice announcing that animal rights and environmental activists are the moral equivalent of Al Qaeda and the KKK and are now the primary domestic terror threats to the United States.

Yes, Virginia, it can happen here...

mojo sends

[Neo]

.ninfetas gratis
tema nokia 6600 britney
temi 6600 free
fotos del final de la fea mas bella
immagini da colorare dragonball.

[squidink]

A good time to remember which presidential candidates voted against the original Patriot Act.

Hint: Ron Paul, Mike Gravel, and Dennis Kucinich (who rhymes with spinach.)