My problem is with the lapsing many provisions on December 31, even those that Senator Craig did not feel needed revising. While revising others, if needed, can continue to be debated, letting them lapse on December 31 is a far greater danger in the short term.
The filibustering Senators should have agreed to a simple alternate bill, extending the Patriot Act provisions "as is" for three months, or whatever, for Congress to come back and work it out. Letting it all lapse on December 31 produces real dangers over concern for "potential" problems that can be fixed later. Craig and the other three were wrong, no matter what their concerns were. There were solutions to their concerns without the lapse on Decemebr 31 endangering us all.
There is a point at which a stand on principle becomes an unprincipled stand.
Of course, but the statists were trying to slam it down their throats. Hopefully, now they'll go back to the conference committee and fix it. They still have time for that and a floor vote.
I'm not giving up the Second Amendment for two weeks of coverage under the PATRIOT Act. No way.
Agreed. Craig put them on notice, and they all wanted to play Mexican standoff at the expense innocent Americans either way. Time to call all of them to consider a suggestion like yours. I'd rather have someone stand up for me, than the government. The track record of the 109th is deplorable. JMHO>
They are the ones who offered an extension.
It's the majority that refuses to entertain that option.
IMO, the majority will prevail before the end of the year.
Letting it all lapse on December 31 produces real dangers ...
I think the differences between "we have patriot" and "some measures lapse" isn't all that great. Of course, the gap isn't "zero," but I will not feel more at risk if the Patriot Act provisions sunset.
USA Patriot Act Sunset: Provisions That Expire on December 31, 2005
http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/RL32186.pdf
The new act has lots of new provisions.
Starting point to full text of the Patriot Act ...
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c107:H.R.3162: