Senate votes to extend USA Patriot Act for 1 year

[kwame k]

WASHINGTON – The Senate voted Wednesday to extend for a year key provisions of the nation's counterterrorism surveillance law that are scheduled to expire at the end of the month. In agreeing to pass the bill, Senate Democrats retreated from adding new privacy protections to the USA Patriot Act.

The Senate approved the bill on a voice vote with no debate. It now goes to the House.

Three important sections of the Patriot Act are to expire at the end of this month.

One authorizes court-approved roving wiretaps that permit surveillance on multiple phones. A second allows court-approved seizure of records and property in anti-terrorism operations. A third permits surveillance against a so-called lone wolf, a non-U.S. citizen suspected of engaging in terrorism who may not be part of a recognized terrorist group.

Supporters say extending the law enables authorities to keep important tools in the fight against terrorism. It would also give Democrats some cover from Republican criticism that the Obama administration is soft on terrorism. Republicans have criticized the administration for trying terrorist suspects in civilians courts, rather than military ones, and for trying to close the military-run prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Some Democrats, however, had to forfeit new privacy protections they had sought for the law.

The Judiciary Committee bill would have restricted FBI information demands known as national security letters and made it easier to challenge gag orders imposed on Americans whose records are seized. Library records would have received extra protections. Congress would have closely scrutinized FBI use of the law to prevent abuses. Dissemination of surveillance results would have been restricted and after a time, unneeded records would have been destroyed.

"I would have preferred to add oversight and judicial review improvements to any extension of expiring provisions in the USA Patriot Act," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "But I understand some Republican senators objected."
Link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100225/ap_on_go_co/us_patriot_act)

[kwame k]

"I would have preferred to add oversight and judicial review improvements to any extension of expiring provisions in the USA Patriot Act," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "But I understand some Republican senators objected."

WTF is it with these pussy ass Democrats!!!!!!

Do the Repukes have compromising pictures of every Democrat in Washington?

Oh No!!!!!! Some Repukes may have objected :pullinghair:

[FORD]

At the risk of sounding like Darth Cheney.... Pat, go fuck yourself!

There is no excuse to keep ONE FUCKING WORD of this unconstitutional nazi bullshit. NONE.

[Nitro Express]

At the risk of sounding like Darth Cheney.... Pat, go fuck yourself!

There is no excuse to keep ONE FUCKING WORD of this unconstitutional nazi bullshit. NONE.

Everything Bush should be wadded up, burned, and forgotten.

[hideyoursheep]

Everything Bush should be wadded up, burned, and forgotten.



It was...:(



<a href="http://photobucket.com/images/wtc" target="_blank"><img src="http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll45/TreasureDiver777/WTCExplosionsejectcolunslaterally.png" border="0" alt="Explosions eject columns Pictures, Images and Photos"/></a>

[Kristy]

Oh yay. One more year to call up up your friends using words like "Islam" "Terrorism" and even "Marijuana" in the same sentence of conversation and set your watch to see when the Department of Homeland Security (i.e., the Bush Gestapo) shows up at your door.

[ODShowtime]

well, at least it still has to be renewed every so often. That's good I guess.

[LoungeMachine]

If Obama hadn't of signed this, the RePukes would have hung it around his neck this November for all of the FAUX NEWS low-information voters to gnaw on....

:gulp:

Wish he had the balls to veto though....

[jhale667]

If Obama hadn't of signed this, the RePukes would have hung it around his neck this November for all of the FAUX NEWS low-information voters to gnaw on....

:gulp:

Wish he had the balls to veto though....

Total Catch-22 situation, you're right...sad that doing the right thing provides ammo for the opponent...but to your point, wonder if he'll opt not to renew it next year?

[Blackflag]

Are you suggesting that he's buckling to public opinion? Really? The majority of the country is against the "Patriot Act," and don't care what "republicans" think about it.

Is that really going to be your excuse for him throughout his whole presidency? Give me a break. I could have sworn he talked about doing away with this in his campaign.



wonder if he'll opt not to renew it next year?

Yeah, next year...that's the ticket. Have faith! :lmao:

[LoungeMachine]

Are you suggesting that he's buckling to public opinion? :

No, to keep the RePukes from using it as a campaign issue, is what [I] mean....

Hale may think diff.

I think Obama is being a WEAK Pol by doing so, and it pisses me off.

:gulp:

As for your contention that the country is against it, I'd like to see proof of that.

I think the low information FAUX NEWS voters dont even know WTF is in the damn thing....

[Blackflag]

No, to keep the RePukes from using it as a campaign issue, is what [I] mean....

He alienates more of his supporters ("democrats") by signing, than he empowers his opponents ("republicans") by vetoing. There's a lot of republicans who want this act gone - thus, why a majority of people from both parties that are opposed to it.

It's not a strategic decision. He's just a puppet.




As for your contention that the country is against it, I'd like to see proof of that.

Take a look at the polls on the issue. "Fox News" does not represent the country.

[jhale667]

No, to keep the RePukes from using it as a campaign issue, is what [I] mean....

Hale may think diff.

I think Obama is being a WEAK Pol by doing so, and it pisses me off.

:gulp:



No, totally agree with you. It may be a smart move election-fodder wise, but it's a weak move overall. And yeah, it's kind of annoying.

[Blackflag]

, it's kind of annoying.

No, going to my favorite burger places in D.C. to show he's a "man of the people" is annoying.

This is fucking bullshit. This lying fucker needs to be voted out of office, and so does each congressman who voted for this shit. Wake up and realize they're all cunts.

[chefcraig]

I have a hard time believing the average American has any idea what the Patriot Act is, let alone what it represents. To be honest, I'm in the dark about a great deal of it, and even viewing the explanation of the damned thing at Wikipedia (where people seeking Cliffs Notes for Hardy Boys books go to get their info) makes a long-winded, muddled mess out of things, leaving you more confused than you were to begin with.

And the real pisser is we are only talking about three provisions that are being extended for a single year, while literally dozens appear to have no expiration date in sight. Shouldn't that be the focus here?

[LoungeMachine]

Take a look at the polls on the issue. "Fox News" does not represent the country.

Show me one.

I can't find a poll on the support of The Patriot Act newer than 2009

:gulp:

[Dr. Love]

Take a look at the polls on the issue. "Fox News" does not represent the country.

Thank God for that.

[LoungeMachine]

. "Fox News" does not represent the country.

No, just half of the electorate....

How the fuck you think an idiot like GWB got elected in the first place?

:gulp:

[Dr. Love]

you mean in the 2nd place

[LoungeMachine]

Thanks to the Supreme Court, yes....

:gulp:

[standin]

FYI....

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has created this Surveillance Self-Defense site to educate the American public about the law and technology of government surveillance in the United States, providing the information and tools necessary to evaluate the threat of surveillance and take appropriate steps to defend against it.
https://ssd.eff.org/

[BigBadBrian]

No, just half of the electorate....

How the fuck you think an idiot like GWB got elected in the first place?

:gulp:

The same way MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, and even Oprah got your boy Obama elected SpeechGiver of the United States.

[bueno bob]

The same way MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, and even Oprah got your boy Obama elected SpeechGiver of the United States.

Gee, only difference is that Obama was legitimately ELECTED.

[BigBadBrian]

Gee, only difference is that Obama was legitimately ELECTED.

So was Bush, whether you realize that or accept it or not.

[bueno bob]

So was Bush, whether you realize that or accept it or not.

LMAO! You trying to convince me or yourself?