Posted on 05/30/2015 5:54:05 AM PDT by NRx
More than four years ago, Congress passed, and President Obama signed, the Patriot Sunsets Extension Act of 2011.
Since that day, May 26, 2011, it’s been known that key provisions of our nation’s counterterrorism surveillance programs are set to expire this June 1.
That is why Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) and I worked diligently on a bipartisan and bicameral basis to produce the USA Freedom Act.
As with any legislation, the USA Freedom Act is not perfect. It does end the bulk collection of phone records and other data by our nation’s intelligence agencies, but it also represents compromises by the intelligence community and civil libertarians. The bill is the product of thousands of hours of work.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
No Mike. I’m not buying. This Vassal Act goes WAY too far, and I’m sick of Congress’ laziness in never fixing anything.
We’re not going to win the whole enchilada. This is a step forward.
This bill still leaves the FISA Court as the ruler on all subpoena requests, and they reject almost none of those requests.
So, this bill is no real improvement. Vote it down.
I’m done with this terrorism excuse frankly. We are supposed to let the NSA, FBI, CIA and now LE just eavesdrop any time they feel the hell like it and tolerate it in the name of terrorism for a President and government that won’t even say the word “terrorist” if it in any way can be connected with Islam or any Muslim? Not no, but HELL no.
We’re told this is all to make us safer and to get criminals off the street. Yet they strike up the F&F program to put “assault weapons” in the hands of Mexican criminals to cast some kind of blame on gun rights proponents? We have our FBI publishing warning briefings that potential problems are veterans and conservatives?
They set up a FISA court to rubber stamp blanket secret surveillance of so-called communication between Citizens and foreigners to stop “terrorism”? Then when they get the agency heads in front of a panel, they say “we only capture the metadata”.....then later on they say “we only go back into the data when we’ve sifted through the data and something catches our eye.” WHAT DATA? It is whole damned conversation they’ve captured from EVERYBODY in addition to that metadata they have also extorted from the carriers because its easier. They didn’t build that Megamemory Death Star in Utah to hold ‘metadata’...
These people are capturing and storing every bit of electronic communication each citizen sends out and receives. They lie about it and will keep lying. To endorse this in the name of patriotism and freedom in the face of the entire premise of the US Constitution is treason IMO.
What in the wide world of sports in going on??? First Cruz co-writing an Op-Ed in support of 0bamaTrade, and now Sen Lee joining forces with Conyers???? And, Leahy???
You don’t have to convince me. What is your plan from getting from here to there?
We can rant all we want, but reality eventually catches up to us. Conservatives are well known for being reality based, thoughtful and clear.
First, when they listen I tell my Congressmen and Senators. I tell them exactly what I just told you.
Secondly, blind allegiance to the “terror” banner when it comes to violating my rights is a deal breaker when it comes to my vote.
I don’t consider ardently voicing an opinion on my personal rights as rant, frankly. And if a little more of that had been done in Germany in the 1930s maybe the Jews wouldn’t have been confronted with the realities of 1945.
In general, my plan is to respond to any instance of this false allegiance any way I can. I don’t want them opening up my mail, and I don’t want them doing the same thing to my electronic communication unless they have reasonable probable cause to which they can swear before a judge to get a warrant.
It’s a sad state of our Constitutional Republic when we have to have a ‘plan’ to make these people obey the laws and to keep them from lying about what they do, what they want to do, their reasons for it and what they’re gonna do anyway. This President has shown he doesn’t care about the law more than once already. This is the reality. It isn’t about conservatives having to defend the tenets of the Bill of Rights. Why is it up to conservatives to be reality based, thoughtful and clear about it? It already is. Pretty clear in fact.
Imagine a single Warrant being issued on all Americans in one sitting.
Here we are.
The reauthorization, extension, rebranding, renaming - whatever new cute patriotic name they now call it should be labeled for what it is - SB #666
Ditto!
This is coming from a congress that has a 6% Approval.
Even the Dictator in North Korea has a higher Approcal rate.
So it’s no surprise.
See folks the Republicans will not save this Republic.
1) They are doing nothing about the open borders
2) They are leaving Obama Care in and not even trying to repeal it.
3) They are voting for the Un Patriotic Act that that primary targets Americans.
4) They seem to support the Trans Pacific Partnership that’s being hidden from the American public.
So tell me again how is voting for the Republicans going to save our Republic? We did it and this is the crap we get in return.
As far as I’m concerned the Republican party has told tea party/Conservatives to go F*ck themselves.
How can you have confidence when the Republican elected leaders in congress are John Boehner and Mitch McConnell that are doing everything in their power to push the Obama agenda through?
bicameral = both houses, both bodies of Congress, i.e., House of Representatives and Senate.
Amen!
Vassal Act — good name for it!
If a republican was president there would be a hugeoutcry over this, instead of a little one comprised of freedom and liberty lovers.
Interesting. After reading this article I doubt McConnell was tripped up by Rand Paul. Just as was the case with TPA, McConnell wants it passed without any debate.
Could be best bill ever but that alone warrants a no vote.
Someone correct me if I am mistaken here but as I understand it if Paul stays firm and blocks voting on renewing the Patriot Act then the whole thing goes in the trash can. The PA expires on Monday so if not renewed then it's done and Congress would have to pass it all over again. Not vote to renew it but vote to reimplement it.
The PA is blatantly unconstitutional and deserves to be trashed.
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