WITH A WHISPER, NOT A BANG (Patriot Act II signed by President on December 13, 2003)

San Antonio Current ^ | 12/24/03 | David Martin

[Mr. Mojo]

(Patriot Act II signed by President on December 13, 2003)

He should've waited a couple more days and signed the damned thing on Bill of Rights Day, just for effect.

[Ahban]

Conservatives, rally to the Constitution Party now. http://www.constitutionparty.com

Don't just consider voting for them, seek them out and join up.

Do not be dissuaded about any threats of what may happen if you don't back the GOP regardless of how quickly they dismantle the Constitution.

[The Electrician]

The author's protests about the timing of the signing are unreasonable, as is the anti-Bush innuendo that suffuses this article. A number of congressional representatives, both Republicans and Democrats, raised a stink about the language that was inserted "in conference" before the bill was voted on. That was at least three weeks before Bush signed it, over three weeks before Saddam Hussein was captured, and over three weeks for the press to cover the issue before the Bush signing. This was not a Clinton-like executive order issued in the dead of night without public scrutiny, it was language in a much larger bill that was approved by the Congress. If it didn't get wide publicity in the press, blame the press, don't blame it on Bush trying to hide it under the cover of the capture of Saddam Hussein.

[oceanview]

i see no evidence that his judicial appointments will be sellouts, considering the Senate is blocking so many of them, that tells me the left is desperate to stop them. The judiciary IS THE LEFT in this country, its where their power base resides, its how they make laws on everything from abortion to guns to gay marriage to logging and now the war on terror, you name it. And they have 5 votes on the SCOTUS now for just about anything.

[Lower55]

the feds don't suspect their involvement in crime or terrorism.

This is what I mean.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Yeah, it would point out how precious our rights are... that is precious FEW.

[sinkspur]

LOL, you guys always say something like that when you can't face the truth about some other outrage Bush has committed.

It's no big deal, mamacita.

[GluteusMax]

IOW, no big deal.

Yeah, it's a "big deal" if you happen to have a desire to protect your wealth.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Supply your vaunted "context" that shows that this does not write a blank check to the FBI for non-terrorism investigations.

[Pro-Bush]

Thanks, Do you know if it is available in Spanish?

[HiTech RedNeck]

Or to not have the FBI come crashing down on you based on nothing more substantive than a wild hair.

[sinkspur]

Yeah, it's a "big deal" if you happen to have a desire to protect your wealth.

LOL!!! Where on earth did that come from?

[Kevin Curry]

It's no big deal, mamacita.

Now if it had been legislation that infringed ever so slightly the unalienable and sacred right to sodomy, it'd be a REAL big deal, right sinkspur?

Nice to see your priorities are straight.

[Lower55]

"Senate committee staffers said the investigative tool is not new and was used in the past for money-laundering investigations."

Here's one.

[LPM1888]

What, you've encountered a set of jackboots you don't want to lick???

I don't kiss anybodies boots and I have an intense aversion to anyone who pulls sneaky tricks to take my freedoms away.

[sinkspur]

Or to not have the FBI come crashing down on you based on nothing more substantive than a wild hair.

"Wild hairs" are high on the FBI's list. Yep. Sure are.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I wonder if I can pay my bills with checks written on a Swiss bank.

[HiTech RedNeck]

You kissed the boots of the FLoriDUH legal system not too long ago.

[blaster88]

If a financial institution breaches the gag order, it faces criminal penalties. And finally, the FBI will no longer be required to report to Congress how often they have used the National Security Letters.

Hmmm. I don't see anything in the legislation which does either of these things.

[LibertyAndJusticeForAll]

Maybe this administration would only use the Patriot Act to check-up on a suspect.
But (God forbid) if the Hildebeast or someone like her is ever elected, how will this law be used in those hands?
(Don't forget the 1000+ missing FBI files of those she & her husband considered to be their domestic enemies. And, while you are at it, don't forget Billy Dale.)