[Ron H.]

Administration officials support the bill because it allows law enforcement to pursue investigations with greater speed and flexibility

In other words they don't want something like "contituytional protections" against unreasonable search and seizure and judcial oversight to get in their way. Why stop here, why not just go ahead and tear up that document, the U.S. Constitution altogether and be done with it. We are seeing our freedoms and rights being trampled on all in the name of fighting so called terrorism. The frog is indeed being boiled alive several degrees at a time and it makes not a peep.

[RandallFlagg]

Can someone pretty please list all these "Civil Liberties" everyone keeps talking about lately? Then, show their relevance in our Constitution.

[Doctor Stochastic]

These powers will be useful when President Hillary wants to find out who is attending GOP cacauses.

[Ron H.]

Ping....ping....ping

[WackyKat]

If you don't have anything to hide, what are you worried about? Only criminals squawk about their "constitutional rights"

[Lunatic Fringe]

Honestly, I can't imagine the federal government doing much with my financial records. Besides, those records can already be accessed by credit card companies, mortgage brokers, my employer, and God only knows how many IT personnel who work at these companies.

It's actually frightening the number of people who already have access to your personal financial records. Privacy is an archaic ideal, unfortunately.

[Prime Choice]

Where were all these people when the real assault on our civil liberties began under the banner of "gun control"? Like it or not, the Leftists were the first to propose that liberty be sacrificed on the altar of "security". And now their crows are coming home to roost.

If they hadn't tried to make our Second Amendment rights subject to "interpretation," then none of our other rights would be undergoing the assault they are now.

They have none to blame save themselves.

[mfulstone]

Ummmm... Guess what -

All I need is your name and address and I can get a full credit report on you.

If a private citizen can do that, why not the gov't???

[swilhelm73]

Bill seen as threat to civil liberties, huh? Well I've seen Bill Clinton as a threat to civil liberties since 1992, nice to see the press catching on though.

[babygene]

I had never cared for Butch Otter much, though his daughter went to school (college) with my daughter when he was Lt. Governor of Idaho. However I'm beginning to warm up to him...

When he replace Helen as our Representative I was of the opinion that he was a lightweight by comparison. Thank God he's proving me wrong.

[WOSG]

Senate committee staffers said the investigative tool is not new and was used in the past for money-laundering investigations. Those same tools should be available to investigate terrorism, they said, and were requested by the administration. Is what the article said. In other words, claiming there is nothing novel here, just learning to fight terrorists with the same tools we fought drug dealers.

You said: "We are seeing our freedoms and rights being trampled on all in the name of fighting so called terrorism."

What is "so-called" about terrorism? It kills real people, they arent just "so-called" victims.

[gcruse]

I'm sure the Bots see this as the Second Coming, but I shudder at the thought of Ashcroft and his successors having an unlimited fishing license. An FBI that knowingly sent patsies to Death Row while colluding with the Mob can't be trusted to operate outside judicial restraint control.

[joesnuffy]

they forgot dentists....lots of gold teeth in those cemeteries and old folks homes they can
confiscate...

[Lazamataz]

Let's just do away with the Constitution and be done with it.