House Fails To Extend Patriot Act Spy Powers 284
schwit1 writes "The House failed to extend three key expiring provisions of the Patriot Act on Tuesday, elements granting the government broad and nearly unchecked surveillance power on its own public. The failure of the bill, sponsored by Rep. James F. Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis), for the time being is likely to give airtime to competing measures in the Senate that would place limited checks on the act's broad surveillance powers. The White House, meanwhile, said it wanted the expiring measures extended through 2013."
Good. (Score:5, Insightful)
The House failed..? (Score:4, Insightful)
I see it as the House succeeding..
Re:good job Republicans! (Score:2, Insightful)
A bill sponsored by 3 Republicans fail, and they get the credit? Does anyone have a link to the full roll call?
Re:Good. (Score:5, Insightful)
If the Stanford Prison Experiment [prisonexp.org] has taught one and only one thing is that given power without oversight always leads to abuse and corruption.
No, it didn't teach that. It taught that it might -- it's just one instance.
HISTORY, on the other hand, has taught us that power without oversight usually leads to abuse and corruption. (And even then it's not always.)
Re:Good. (Score:4, Insightful)
"If the Stanford Prison Experiment [prisonexp.org] has taught one and only one thing is that given power without oversight always leads to abuse and corruption."
Guess who went to Stanford?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Sensenbrenner [wikipedia.org]
Not to say that everyone that goes to Stanford is corrupt. I don't believe that for a moment. But, what I do believe is that this man has single-handedly done more damage to the liberty of US citizens then any other person. Don't take my word for it though, read up on the guy and come to your own conclusions.
Stop celebrating - it's going to pass (Score:5, Insightful)
Though I will admit, for the first time since I became aware of their existence I feel something other than blinding hatred for the Tea Party, who are basically responsible for the Republicans not having enough votes. Looks like some of them really do care about civil liberties, and for that at least they should be congratulated.
Re:Stop celebrating - it's going to pass (Score:5, Insightful)
At least this time it will be debated and amendments will be considered.
Amazing with all we are facing (Score:5, Insightful)
Massive debt, an economy on the brink of collapse and all the House Republicans are interested in is repealing health care for the people that couldn't get it, tax breaks for the rich and extending domestic spying/the Patriot Act. How about trying to fix something that's actually broken? When I saw the Republican proposed budget cuts they were all things like education, EPA, NASA and the FBI of all things. Not a single cut was actual fat and none of it affected the rich or corporate America. Remember where their priorities lie next time around.
Re:So it worked exactly like it was supposed to wo (Score:5, Insightful)
People were uppity because they should never have had the powers in the beginning.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss (Score:5, Insightful)
For those who thought Obama was going to change the status quo, you should read the provisions the White House wants to keep:
The three expiring Patriot Act provisions are:
â The âoeroving wiretapâ provision allows the FBI to obtain wiretaps from a secret intelligence court, known as the FISA court, without identifying what method of communication is to be tapped.
â The âoelone wolfâ measure allows FISA court warrants for the electronic monitoring of a person for whatever reason â" even without showing that the suspect is an agent of a foreign power or a terrorist. The government has said it has never invoked that provision, but the Obama administration said it wanted to retain the authority to do so.
â The âoebusiness recordsâ provision allows FISA court warrants for any type of record, from banking to library to medical, without the government having to declare that the information sought is connected to a terrorism or espionage investigation.
In the best traditions of bipartisanship, both parties want to take away your civil liberties and sell out the middle class to big business. The only difference between the two is which big business group they are puppets for.
And this is coming from a Constituional law professor, by the way. A guy who taught at one of the top Universities in the country - the University of Chicago - and was educated at the top law school in the country. If this is what he thinks the Constitution stands for, we're fucked.
Obama is as much of a disgrace to this country as Bush ever was.
Don't tell me it's just politics. Where would be if everyone - Lincoln, Jefferson, etc. - acted as if it were just politics? Sometimes you got to take a stand. But alas, the sad truth is that Mr. Obama simply does not have the balls.
I will now go back to listening to the Who.
Posting anonymously because that's just what this country has come to.
Re:Amazing with all we are facing (Score:4, Insightful)
Yeah, those goddamn Republicans...
"The White House, meanwhile, said it wanted the expiring measures extended through 2013."
Re:Stop celebrating - it's going to pass (Score:4, Insightful)
Like the removal of those annoying sunset provisions?
Sad Fact (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Hmm. (Score:4, Insightful)
I, for one, welcome Congress's inability to come together as one bipartisan group in an effort to eliminate my rights as a non-incorporated citizen.
Re:good job Republicans! (Score:4, Insightful)
A bill sponsored by 3 Republicans fail, and they get the credit? Does anyone have a link to the full roll call?
Yeah, 'cuz Democrats are always the party of Big Government. I am now going to insert my fingers into my ears and shout repeatedly so that I can't hear you tell me about any evidence to the contrary. Good day.
Re:Good. (Score:3, Insightful)
And the solution to posts like yours is another non-sequitur. Feldspar!
Re:Meet the new boss, same as the old boss (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Meet the new boss, same as the old boss (Score:4, Insightful)
Obama is as much of a disgrace to this country as Bush ever was.
I agree with you up until that point. While Obama has been a letdown on lots of issues, he hasn't really been like Bush. Obama is winding down the Iraq war, trying to build bridges with the Cairo speech, and making the White House a bit more transparent. As Bill Maher said to those who said to boycott Democrats for not doing enough, "When it comes to voting, when we only have two choices, You gotta grow up and realize there’s a big difference between a disappointing friend and a deadly enemy."
Re:Meet the new boss, same as the old boss (Score:2, Insightful)
Obama simply does not have the balls.
...the most delusional statement of all the leftist comments out here. He's taken a bold stand against individual liberty every time he had a chance. Including this one. Bush was a disaster when he failed. Obama is a disaster when he succeeds.
Re:Meet the new boss, same as the old boss (Score:4, Insightful)
As long as you believe there's only two choices, you're part of the problem.
Sarcastic news placement on NPR this morning? (Score:5, Insightful)