Senate Blocks Extension of Patriot Act (and the left and Al Qaeda cheered in unison)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 12/16/05 | Jesse J. Holland - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - The Senate on Friday rejected attempts to reauthorize several provisions of the USA Patriot Act as infringing too much on Americans' privacy, dealing a major defeat to President Bush and Republican leaders.

In a crucial vote Friday morning as Congress raced toward adjournment, the bill's Senate supporters were not able to garner the 60 votes necessary to overcome a threatened filibuster by Sens. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and Larry Craig, R-Idaho, and their allies. The final vote was 52-47

Bush, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and GOP congressional leaders had lobbied fiercely to make most of the expiring Patriot Act provisions permanent, and add new safeguards and expiration dates to the two most controversial parts: roving wiretaps and secret warrants for books, records and other items from businesses, hospitals and organizations such as libraries.

Making most of the act's provisions permanent was a priority for both the Bush administration and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill before Congress adjourns for the year.

The House on Wednesday passed a House-Senate compromise bill to renew the Act that supporters say added significant safeguards to the law.

But the law's critics, such as Feingold and Craig, say they don't want the Patriot Act to expire — they just want enough time to improve the bill to the point where it doesn't infringe on American liberties. Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and House Speaker Dennis Hastert have said they won't accept a short-term extension of the law.

"In the war on terror, we cannot afford to be without these vital tools for a single moment," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said earlier today before the Senate vote.

Congress passed the Patriot Act overwhelmingly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The law expanded the government's surveillance and prosecutorial powers against suspected terrorists, their associates and financiers.

The bill's opponents say the original act was rushed into law, and Congress should take more time now to make sure the rights of innocent Americans are safeguarded before making most of the expiring provisions permanent.

They say the current Patriot Act gives government too much power to investigate people's private lives.

[Wuli]

You do not know what you are talking about.

Your "privacy" was no less at "risk", before the patriot act, if the justice department had you in the cross hairs of an organized crime investigation. The patriot act extended the "sneak and peak" investigative powers to terrorism investigations and like organized crime investigations, require a judge to approve the warrants for them.

"Wire tapping" warrrants were, due to the advances in technology, changed to include wire tapping the individual, no matter how many or what type of phones that individual switches to. Again, FISA court judges ahd to approve the operations.

Even the library and medical records issue had been an accepted lgeal practice, prior to the patriot act in both fraud and organized crime investigations. The patriot act extended those searches to terrorism investigations. The difference in the warrants for the terrorism investigations has to do with the standard required for the warrants. In a criminal investigation, you have a suspected criminal charge (murder, etc) and the standard for the warrant deals with sufficient evidence on the suspected charge. In a terrorism investigation, you do not yet have a criminal charge, you have on ongoing conspiracy to commit any number of criminal acts. The standard for "evidence" is therefore less than, less specific than the standard for a criminal investigation.

The facts are that the provisions of the patriot act have already proven their worth in terrorism investigations that have preserved your right to life and liberty.

[Bonaparte]

"The US Senate is doing themselves proud."

The Senate would formally declare war on the United States if they thought they could pull it off.

[funkywbr]

Well it's no wonder why Senators don't win Presidential elections.

[NormsRevenge]

Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Conference to Accompany H.R. 3199 )
Vote Number:	358	Vote Date:	December 16, 2005, 11:54 AM
Required For Majority:	3/5	Vote Result:	Cloture Motion Rejected
Measure Number:	H.R. 3199 (USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 )
Measure Title:	A bill to extend and modify authorities needed to combat terrorism, and for other purposes.

Vote Counts:	YEAs	52
	NAYs	47
	Not Voting	1

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

Alphabetical by Senator Name

Akaka (D-HI), Nay Alexander (R-TN), Yea Allard (R-CO), Yea Allen (R-VA), Yea Baucus (D-MT), Nay Bayh (D-IN), Nay Bennett (R-UT), Yea Biden (D-DE), Nay Bingaman (D-NM), Nay Bond (R-MO), Yea Boxer (D-CA), Nay Brownback (R-KS), Yea Bunning (R-KY), Yea Burns (R-MT), Yea Burr (R-NC), Yea Byrd (D-WV), Nay Cantwell (D-WA), Nay Carper (D-DE), Nay Chafee (R-RI), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Yea Clinton (D-NY), Nay Coburn (R-OK), Yea Cochran (R-MS), Yea Coleman (R-MN), Yea Collins (R-ME), Yea Conrad (D-ND), Nay Cornyn (R-TX), Yea Corzine (D-NJ), Nay Craig (R-ID), Nay Crapo (R-ID), Yea Dayton (D-MN), Nay DeMint (R-SC), Yea DeWine (R-OH), Yea Dodd (D-CT), Not Voting

Dole (R-NC), Yea Domenici (R-NM), Yea Dorgan (D-ND), Nay Durbin (D-IL), Nay Ensign (R-NV), Yea Enzi (R-WY), Yea Feingold (D-WI), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Nay Frist (R-TN), Nay Graham (R-SC), Yea Grassley (R-IA), Yea Gregg (R-NH), Yea Hagel (R-NE), Nay Harkin (D-IA), Nay Hatch (R-UT), Yea Hutchison (R-TX), Yea Inhofe (R-OK), Yea Inouye (D-HI), Nay Isakson (R-GA), Yea Jeffords (I-VT), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Kennedy (D-MA), Nay Kerry (D-MA), Nay Kohl (D-WI), Nay Kyl (R-AZ), Yea Landrieu (D-LA), Nay Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay Leahy (D-VT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Nay Lieberman (D-CT), Nay Lincoln (D-AR), Nay Lott (R-MS), Yea Lugar (R-IN), Yea Martinez (R-FL), Yea

McCain (R-AZ), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Nay Murkowski (R-AK), Nay Murray (D-WA), Nay Nelson (D-FL), Nay Nelson (D-NE), Yea Obama (D-IL), Nay Pryor (D-AR), Nay Reed (D-RI), Nay Reid (D-NV), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Yea Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay Salazar (D-CO), Nay Santorum (R-PA), Yea Sarbanes (D-MD), Nay Schumer (D-NY), Nay Sessions (R-AL), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Yea Smith (R-OR), Yea Snowe (R-ME), Yea Specter (R-PA), Yea Stabenow (D-MI), Nay Stevens (R-AK), Yea Sununu (R-NH), Nay Talent (R-MO), Yea Thomas (R-WY), Yea Thune (R-SD), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Yea Voinovich (R-OH), Yea Warner (R-VA), Yea Wyden (D-OR), Nay

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs ---52
Alexander (R-TN) Allard (R-CO) Allen (R-VA) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burns (R-MT) Burr (R-NC) Chafee (R-RI) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Coleman (R-MN) Collins (R-ME) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC)	DeWine (R-OH) Dole (R-NC) Domenici (R-NM) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johnson (D-SD) Kyl (R-AZ) Lott (R-MS) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ)	McConnell (R-KY) Nelson (D-NE) Roberts (R-KS) Santorum (R-PA) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Smith (R-OR) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Stevens (R-AK) Talent (R-MO) Thomas (R-WY) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (R-VA)

NAYs ---47
Akaka (D-HI) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Biden (D-DE) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Byrd (D-WV) Cantwell (D-WA) Carper (D-DE) Clinton (D-NY) Conrad (D-ND) Corzine (D-NJ) Craig (R-ID) Dayton (D-MN) Dorgan (D-ND) Durbin (D-IL)	Feingold (D-WI) Feinstein (D-CA) Frist (R-TN) Hagel (R-NE) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Jeffords (I-VT) Kennedy (D-MA) Kerry (D-MA) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (D-CT) Lincoln (D-AR)	Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Obama (D-IL) Pryor (D-AR) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Salazar (D-CO) Sarbanes (D-MD) Schumer (D-NY) Stabenow (D-MI) Sununu (R-NH) Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 1
Dodd (D-CT)

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

Grouped by Home State

Alabama:	Sessions (R-AL), Yea	Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Alaska:	Murkowski (R-AK), Nay	Stevens (R-AK), Yea
Arizona:	Kyl (R-AZ), Yea	McCain (R-AZ), Yea
Arkansas:	Lincoln (D-AR), Nay	Pryor (D-AR), Nay
California:	Boxer (D-CA), Nay	Feinstein (D-CA), Nay
Colorado:	Allard (R-CO), Yea	Salazar (D-CO), Nay
Connecticut:	Dodd (D-CT), Not Voting	Lieberman (D-CT), Nay
Delaware:	Biden (D-DE), Nay	Carper (D-DE), Nay
Florida:	Martinez (R-FL), Yea	Nelson (D-FL), Nay
Georgia:	Chambliss (R-GA), Yea	Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Hawaii:	Akaka (D-HI), Nay	Inouye (D-HI), Nay
Idaho:	Craig (R-ID), Nay	Crapo (R-ID), Yea
Illinois:	Durbin (D-IL), Nay	Obama (D-IL), Nay
Indiana:	Bayh (D-IN), Nay	Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Iowa:	Grassley (R-IA), Yea	Harkin (D-IA), Nay
Kansas:	Brownback (R-KS), Yea	Roberts (R-KS), Yea
Kentucky:	Bunning (R-KY), Yea	McConnell (R-KY), Yea
Louisiana:	Landrieu (D-LA), Nay	Vitter (R-LA), Yea
Maine:	Collins (R-ME), Yea	Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Maryland:	Mikulski (D-MD), Nay	Sarbanes (D-MD), Nay
Massachusetts:	Kennedy (D-MA), Nay	Kerry (D-MA), Nay
Michigan:	Levin (D-MI), Nay	Stabenow (D-MI), Nay
Minnesota:	Coleman (R-MN), Yea	Dayton (D-MN), Nay
Mississippi:	Cochran (R-MS), Yea	Lott (R-MS), Yea
Missouri:	Bond (R-MO), Yea	Talent (R-MO), Yea
Montana:	Baucus (D-MT), Nay	Burns (R-MT), Yea
Nebraska:	Hagel (R-NE), Nay	Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Nevada:	Ensign (R-NV), Yea	Reid (D-NV), Nay
New Hampshire:	Gregg (R-NH), Yea	Sununu (R-NH), Nay
New Jersey:	Corzine (D-NJ), Nay	Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay
New Mexico:	Bingaman (D-NM), Nay	Domenici (R-NM), Yea
New York:	Clinton (D-NY), Nay	Schumer (D-NY), Nay
North Carolina:	Burr (R-NC), Yea	Dole (R-NC), Yea
North Dakota:	Conrad (D-ND), Nay	Dorgan (D-ND), Nay
Ohio:	DeWine (R-OH), Yea	Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Oklahoma:	Coburn (R-OK), Yea	Inhofe (R-OK), Yea
Oregon:	Smith (R-OR), Yea	Wyden (D-OR), Nay
Pennsylvania:	Santorum (R-PA), Yea	Specter (R-PA), Yea
Rhode Island:	Chafee (R-RI), Yea	Reed (D-RI), Nay
South Carolina:	DeMint (R-SC), Yea	Graham (R-SC), Yea
South Dakota:	Johnson (D-SD), Yea	Thune (R-SD), Yea
Tennessee:	Alexander (R-TN), Yea	Frist (R-TN), Nay
Texas:	Cornyn (R-TX), Yea	Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Utah:	Bennett (R-UT), Yea	Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Vermont:	Jeffords (I-VT), Nay	Leahy (D-VT), Nay
Virginia:	Allen (R-VA), Yea	Warner (R-VA), Yea
Washington:	Cantwell (D-WA), Nay	Murray (D-WA), Nay
West Virginia:	Byrd (D-WV), Nay	Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay
Wisconsin:	Feingold (D-WI), Nay	Kohl (D-WI), Nay
Wyoming:	Enzi (R-WY), Yea	Thomas (R-WY), Yea

[NormsRevenge]

Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Conference to Accompany H.R. 3199 )
Vote Number:	358	Vote Date:	December 16, 2005, 11:54 AM
Required For Majority:	3/5	Vote Result:	Cloture Motion Rejected
Measure Number:	H.R. 3199 (USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 )
Measure Title:	A bill to extend and modify authorities needed to combat terrorism, and for other purposes.

Vote Counts:	YEAs	52
	NAYs	47
	Not Voting	1

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

Alphabetical by Senator Name

Akaka (D-HI), Nay Alexander (R-TN), Yea Allard (R-CO), Yea Allen (R-VA), Yea Baucus (D-MT), Nay Bayh (D-IN), Nay Bennett (R-UT), Yea Biden (D-DE), Nay Bingaman (D-NM), Nay Bond (R-MO), Yea Boxer (D-CA), Nay Brownback (R-KS), Yea Bunning (R-KY), Yea Burns (R-MT), Yea Burr (R-NC), Yea Byrd (D-WV), Nay Cantwell (D-WA), Nay Carper (D-DE), Nay Chafee (R-RI), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Yea Clinton (D-NY), Nay Coburn (R-OK), Yea Cochran (R-MS), Yea Coleman (R-MN), Yea Collins (R-ME), Yea Conrad (D-ND), Nay Cornyn (R-TX), Yea Corzine (D-NJ), Nay Craig (R-ID), Nay Crapo (R-ID), Yea Dayton (D-MN), Nay DeMint (R-SC), Yea DeWine (R-OH), Yea Dodd (D-CT), Not Voting

Dole (R-NC), Yea Domenici (R-NM), Yea Dorgan (D-ND), Nay Durbin (D-IL), Nay Ensign (R-NV), Yea Enzi (R-WY), Yea Feingold (D-WI), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Nay Frist (R-TN), Nay Graham (R-SC), Yea Grassley (R-IA), Yea Gregg (R-NH), Yea Hagel (R-NE), Nay Harkin (D-IA), Nay Hatch (R-UT), Yea Hutchison (R-TX), Yea Inhofe (R-OK), Yea Inouye (D-HI), Nay Isakson (R-GA), Yea Jeffords (I-VT), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Kennedy (D-MA), Nay Kerry (D-MA), Nay Kohl (D-WI), Nay Kyl (R-AZ), Yea Landrieu (D-LA), Nay Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay Leahy (D-VT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Nay Lieberman (D-CT), Nay Lincoln (D-AR), Nay Lott (R-MS), Yea Lugar (R-IN), Yea Martinez (R-FL), Yea

McCain (R-AZ), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Nay Murkowski (R-AK), Nay Murray (D-WA), Nay Nelson (D-FL), Nay Nelson (D-NE), Yea Obama (D-IL), Nay Pryor (D-AR), Nay Reed (D-RI), Nay Reid (D-NV), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Yea Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay Salazar (D-CO), Nay Santorum (R-PA), Yea Sarbanes (D-MD), Nay Schumer (D-NY), Nay Sessions (R-AL), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Yea Smith (R-OR), Yea Snowe (R-ME), Yea Specter (R-PA), Yea Stabenow (D-MI), Nay Stevens (R-AK), Yea Sununu (R-NH), Nay Talent (R-MO), Yea Thomas (R-WY), Yea Thune (R-SD), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Yea Voinovich (R-OH), Yea Warner (R-VA), Yea Wyden (D-OR), Nay

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs ---52
Alexander (R-TN) Allard (R-CO) Allen (R-VA) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burns (R-MT) Burr (R-NC) Chafee (R-RI) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Coleman (R-MN) Collins (R-ME) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC)	DeWine (R-OH) Dole (R-NC) Domenici (R-NM) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johnson (D-SD) Kyl (R-AZ) Lott (R-MS) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ)	McConnell (R-KY) Nelson (D-NE) Roberts (R-KS) Santorum (R-PA) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Smith (R-OR) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Stevens (R-AK) Talent (R-MO) Thomas (R-WY) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (R-VA)

NAYs ---47
Akaka (D-HI) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Biden (D-DE) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Byrd (D-WV) Cantwell (D-WA) Carper (D-DE) Clinton (D-NY) Conrad (D-ND) Corzine (D-NJ) Craig (R-ID) Dayton (D-MN) Dorgan (D-ND) Durbin (D-IL)	Feingold (D-WI) Feinstein (D-CA) Frist (R-TN) Hagel (R-NE) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Jeffords (I-VT) Kennedy (D-MA) Kerry (D-MA) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (D-CT) Lincoln (D-AR)	Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Obama (D-IL) Pryor (D-AR) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Salazar (D-CO) Sarbanes (D-MD) Schumer (D-NY) Stabenow (D-MI) Sununu (R-NH) Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 1
Dodd (D-CT)

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

Grouped by Home State

Alabama:	Sessions (R-AL), Yea	Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Alaska:	Murkowski (R-AK), Nay	Stevens (R-AK), Yea
Arizona:	Kyl (R-AZ), Yea	McCain (R-AZ), Yea
Arkansas:	Lincoln (D-AR), Nay	Pryor (D-AR), Nay
California:	Boxer (D-CA), Nay	Feinstein (D-CA), Nay
Colorado:	Allard (R-CO), Yea	Salazar (D-CO), Nay
Connecticut:	Dodd (D-CT), Not Voting	Lieberman (D-CT), Nay
Delaware:	Biden (D-DE), Nay	Carper (D-DE), Nay
Florida:	Martinez (R-FL), Yea	Nelson (D-FL), Nay
Georgia:	Chambliss (R-GA), Yea	Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Hawaii:	Akaka (D-HI), Nay	Inouye (D-HI), Nay
Idaho:	Craig (R-ID), Nay	Crapo (R-ID), Yea
Illinois:	Durbin (D-IL), Nay	Obama (D-IL), Nay
Indiana:	Bayh (D-IN), Nay	Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Iowa:	Grassley (R-IA), Yea	Harkin (D-IA), Nay
Kansas:	Brownback (R-KS), Yea	Roberts (R-KS), Yea
Kentucky:	Bunning (R-KY), Yea	McConnell (R-KY), Yea
Louisiana:	Landrieu (D-LA), Nay	Vitter (R-LA), Yea
Maine:	Collins (R-ME), Yea	Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Maryland:	Mikulski (D-MD), Nay	Sarbanes (D-MD), Nay
Massachusetts:	Kennedy (D-MA), Nay	Kerry (D-MA), Nay
Michigan:	Levin (D-MI), Nay	Stabenow (D-MI), Nay
Minnesota:	Coleman (R-MN), Yea	Dayton (D-MN), Nay
Mississippi:	Cochran (R-MS), Yea	Lott (R-MS), Yea
Missouri:	Bond (R-MO), Yea	Talent (R-MO), Yea
Montana:	Baucus (D-MT), Nay	Burns (R-MT), Yea
Nebraska:	Hagel (R-NE), Nay	Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Nevada:	Ensign (R-NV), Yea	Reid (D-NV), Nay
New Hampshire:	Gregg (R-NH), Yea	Sununu (R-NH), Nay
New Jersey:	Corzine (D-NJ), Nay	Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay
New Mexico:	Bingaman (D-NM), Nay	Domenici (R-NM), Yea
New York:	Clinton (D-NY), Nay	Schumer (D-NY), Nay
North Carolina:	Burr (R-NC), Yea	Dole (R-NC), Yea
North Dakota:	Conrad (D-ND), Nay	Dorgan (D-ND), Nay
Ohio:	DeWine (R-OH), Yea	Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Oklahoma:	Coburn (R-OK), Yea	Inhofe (R-OK), Yea
Oregon:	Smith (R-OR), Yea	Wyden (D-OR), Nay
Pennsylvania:	Santorum (R-PA), Yea	Specter (R-PA), Yea
Rhode Island:	Chafee (R-RI), Yea	Reed (D-RI), Nay
South Carolina:	DeMint (R-SC), Yea	Graham (R-SC), Yea
South Dakota:	Johnson (D-SD), Yea	Thune (R-SD), Yea
Tennessee:	Alexander (R-TN), Yea	Frist (R-TN), Nay
Texas:	Cornyn (R-TX), Yea	Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Utah:	Bennett (R-UT), Yea	Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Vermont:	Jeffords (I-VT), Nay	Leahy (D-VT), Nay
Virginia:	Allen (R-VA), Yea	Warner (R-VA), Yea
Washington:	Cantwell (D-WA), Nay	Murray (D-WA), Nay
West Virginia:	Byrd (D-WV), Nay	Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay
Wisconsin:	Feingold (D-WI), Nay	Kohl (D-WI), Nay
Wyoming:	Enzi (R-WY), Yea	Thomas (R-WY), Yea

[G.Mason]

"Bush will steamroll the senators on this one."

Of course, you won't mind 'splainin that, would you?

[khnyny]

"My solution: Allow the legislatures and governors of each state opt in for Patriot Act coverage. States not opting in forfeit Federal aid should a terrorist act occur in their jurisdiction."

Something along those lines might work. It's interesting that since the Patriot Act has been in place, there hasn't been a major terrorist act in the US.

If the big insurance companies and airlines,(who actually have to pay once the damage has been done from terrorist acts) get involved to lobby passage, we'll see results. Also, Wall Street should care. The stock market doesn't react very well to terrorism. But then again, I'm sure the Patriot Act could catch some interesting schemes on Wall Street too, so maybe not, lol.

[FlipWilson]

Yes, the AP is trying to paint this as a Bush defeat. Too bad they have no foresight. The Senate just handed Bush a HAMMER with which to beat the living crapola out of the dems with this year and for the rest of the year. I hate polls, but even the most liberal of the polls showed that the American People favored the Patriot Act (of course, miraculously, new polls will soon appear showing no support for the Patriot Act.)

[pissant]

see post 18 for the short version. Let me know if you want the longer one. ;o)

[ArcadeQuarters]

See http://capwiz.com/liberty/issues/alert/?alertid=8315306&type=CO

[antiRepublicrat]

(and the left and Al Qaeda cheered in unison)

Along with those Americans who value privacy, respect constitutional rights and are weary of the continuing expansion of government power. This Justice Department wish list can't be allowed to stand as it is.

[moehoward]

This is a good thing. Our focus should be on securing our borders instead of invading the privacy of Americans.

BUMP THAT!

[pissant]

well said

[G.Mason]

Longer one. #18 has no meat on it. ;)

[macamadamia]

Our focus should be on securing our borders instead of invading the privacy of Americans.


A false dilemma.

And a straw man.

[XenaLee]

You know it never works that way. Look at how the leftists squandered money meant for the levies in New Orleans. And now, Bush is trying to authorize $$$ to rebuild the levees better than ever with taxpayer's money. Leftists always create the problems and screw things up....conservatives always have to fix things and clean up the mess leftists created.

SSDD.

"My solution: Allow the legislatures and governors of each state opt in for Patriot Act coverage. States not opting in forfeit Federal aid should a terrorist act occur in their jurisdiction."

[FlipWilson]

Well, honestly, Frist and the Republicans have only ever talked about changing the fillibuster rules regarding judicial nominees, not legislation. Thus, what is Frist to do? Any party can be obstructionist. It isn't difficult. The question is, what is the payoff for the dems in obstructing any and everything? The dems think that they still have a media monopoly and that their obstructionism will be covered so as to score points. Sorry, not happening. The more they obstruct, the more ammo they give the Republicans and the worse it looks for them. Fillibustering the Patriot Act went too far, way too far and they now, have fully self-destructed.

[Blue Turtle]

Agreed...republicans are spineless and now I can't tell the difference between these senators. They are working on anti-torture measures which will allow the ACLU to try our soldiers and give al queda civil rights. They cannot pass meaningful border legislation...did anyone else hear Obama speak on this? That man is friggin' crazy and out for minorities, not Americans! He is a socialist. The patriot act has protected us since 911....why would you change it? Why in God's name would you not vote to make permanent? These people are useless, red-tape, selfish, out of touch, ego maniacs.

[eskimo]

This is a good thing. Our focus should be on securing our borders instead of invading the privacy of Americans.

You're right. Don't let the nanny state lovers tell you otherwise. Most of the ones I know only like this nonsense because they are profiting from it somehow.

[jmc813]

OK, who should we trust on this, Sen. Craig, a member of the NRA board of directors and one of the staunchest defenders of gun rights or the self-admitted gun-grabber La Raza member Bert Gonzales? I'll stick with Larry Craig on this one.