Another 4 years of the Patriot Act

Remember when conservatives were worried about the expansion of government? Remember when Obama was agruing against the justifications he now uses to support such an expansion?

Ah... the good 'ol days.

Quote :

Top lawmakers agree to Patriot Act extension

Top congressional leaders agreed Thursday to a four-year extension of the anti-terrorist Patriot Act, the controversial law passed after the Sept. 11 attacks that governs the search for terrorists on American soil.
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. 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.

The article mentions grumblings of amendments, but we'll see... There's always been those, yet they vote to keep this thing going time and time again.

Brayton sums it up best:

Quote :

At a time when the two parties are at each other's throats over almost every issue, here are the things that our Democratic president and the leaders and majority of both parties in Congress can agree on these days:

1. Screw the Bill of Rights, the executive should be able to perform searches and seizures without a warrant from any judge, even the FISA court which operates in secret.

2. Screw the Bill of Rights, the executive should be able to do anything it wants no matter how clearly it violates the law and the victims of those abuses of power should have no legal recourse whatsoever.

3. No one should ever be held accountable for violating the constitution or our treaty obligations by engaging in torture, warrantless wiretaps or any other clearly illegal abuse of power.

Ladies and gentlemen, your one two party system at work. The one issue both parties can agree on: Screw the Constitution.

Heretic wrote:

Remember when conservatives were worried about the expansion of government? Remember when Obama was agruing against the justifications he now uses to support such an expansion?

Ah... the good 'ol days.

Yeah. I remember. I also remember when the thought of closing Gitmo was a "no-brainer." But Congress wouldn't budge on either issue. The Republicans seem genuinely terrified, and the Democrats just aren't willing to take the political heat that a rollback of the Patriot Act would produce.

I guess it boils down to this... if the legislators voted for a rollback of any of the provisions, and an attack occurred, then those opposed to the rollback would claim that those who voted against provisions of the Patriot Act put the country in danger.

It's bullshit, of course, and was one of the reasons that I opposed many of the provisions in the first place. As I've said before, it's going to be very difficult to ever get rid of the damned thing. It would take a grass roots movement involving the majority of the citizens in this country, and I really don't see that happening anytime soon.

However, I don't completely agree with Brayton, especially on his comment regarding torture. There is nothing in these provisions, or the rest of the Patriot Act for that matter, that authorizes the use of torture.

Scorpion wrote:

I guess it boils down to this... if the legislators voted for a rollback of any of the provisions, and an attack occurred, then those opposed to the rollback would claim that those who voted against provisions of the Patriot Act put the country in danger.

An attack wouldn't even be necessary. The right-wingers would immediately start beating the "soft on terror" drum and proceed to their usual scare tactics.

Scorpion wrote:

It's bullshit, of course, and was one of the reasons that I opposed many of the provisions in the first place.

Pandora's box. It's hard to take away power from a government once it's given, which is why I unfortunately wasn't surprised the Obama administration made a complete 180 on these policies. That's why it was so important to stop these policies when they first started to roll out. Thanks for paying attention, Tea Party! Eight years too late, morons.

Scorpion wrote:

However, I don't completely agree with Brayton, especially on his comment regarding torture. There is nothing in these provisions, or the rest of the Patriot Act for that matter, that authorizes the use of torture.

I think that parts about the whole scope of things, not just limited to the Patriot Act. He's been following the topic for a long time...

Artie60438 wrote:

An attack wouldn't even be necessary. The right-wingers would immediately start beating the "soft on terror" drum and proceed to their usual scare tactics.

Yeah they would. I won't ever figure out why they cheer the rollback of civil liberties despite all the claims of "communism!!" and "fascists!!" Unless it really is partisan nonsense - ok for a Republican but not a Democrat. I'd like to give them more credit than that, but...

And this reminds me of what Bill Maher said on this show a couple of weeks ago: Did Osama win despite his death?

Multiple wars bankrupting the country, exactly as he said it would. Skyrocketing gas prices adding to the burden. Rollbacks of civil liberties and freedoms that's gleefully cheered for by one side and ignored by the other...

Heretic wrote:

And this reminds me of what Bill Maher said on this show a couple of weeks ago: Did Osama win despite his death?

Multiple wars bankrupting the country, exactly as he said it would. Skyrocketing gas prices adding to the burden. Rollbacks of civil liberties and freedoms that's gleefully cheered for by one side and ignored by the other...

I may get some flack for this but I truly believe,If there was ever an overreaction to an event it was 9/11.