Posted on 02/09/2011 3:09:10 AM PST by broken_arrow1
It was the Congressional version of never count your chickens before they're hatched.
And when you do on Capitol Hill, you can sometimes lose a vote.
The newly-minted House Republican leadership botched a vote Tuesday night when it presumed it had the necessary support to reauthorize the Patriot Act, the anti-terrorism law imposed after September 11th.
The GOP expected little trouble with the bill. So Republicans brought the Patriot Act to the floor under a special procedure that requires a two-thirds vote for passage. It's a maneuver that's typically reserved for non-controversial legislation or bills that carry wide support.
Renewing that Patriot Act had certainly had wide support. 277 members voted in favor of the measure compared to just 148 nays.
But that's short of the two-thirds supermajority. Which means the House defeated the bill.
With 425 members voting, 284 yea votes were necessary to cross the two-thirds threshold for passage. 26 Republicans voted against renewing the law.
Democrats opposed to the Patriot Act were gleeful at the GOP miscalculation.
"Look at the ‘Don't Tread on Me flag.' It doesn't say don't tread on me, but it's okay if you spy," said Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), one of the most ardent opponents of the Patriot Act. "What the Republican leadership didn't count on is that they have some new members who are freshmen who are conservative, libertarian, who really do believe in civil liberties."
Eight Republicans whom the GOP regards as freshmen voted against the reauthorization. That's precisely the number of yea votes Republicans needed to pass the bill.
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) used to set the schedule when Democrats were in the majority and is familiar with floor meltdowns like the one Tuesday night.
But despite the misstep, Republicans blamed Democrats for the defeat.
(Excerpt) Read more at politics.blogs.foxnews.com ...
Excellent point. I couldn't agree more.
Wars that are never won.
Wars that require that state powers over the citizen forever increase.
Cant connect dots that arent collected.
NOT TO ME, IT DIDN'T!!!
Did the Freepers who supported this monstrosity think that a liberal would never again be elected President??
“What of the 30 terrorist were caught using the Pat Act? Be specific.
Here ya go...took all of two seconds to find...
“Patriot Act helped foil New York terror plot”
Quote:
The arrest and indictment of Najibullah Zazi on charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction was made possible by the “roving wiretaps” allowed by the Patriot Act, which was signed into law in 2001 by President George W. Bush. “All the layers of defense President Bush set up after Sept. 11 are working,” Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., pointed out. The Patriot Act caused plenty of controversy, but it was key to the Bush administration’s successful eight-year counterterrorism strategy that focused on disrupting terror attacks and thereby preventing the deaths of more Americans here at home.
Our government is pursuing freedom robbing intrusions into our lives while turning a blind eye to our borders.
They see Americans as the enemy instead of those that come here illegally. They turn a blind eye to those who wish to harm us because of their ethnicity, and turn around and fondle grandma at the airport.
I have a problem with this.
Even a broken watch is correct twice a day. The Patriot Act didn't prevent the Ft. Hood massacre, with his his intentions OUT IN THE OPEN for any reasonable intelligence community to see. They seem to be giving Islam a pass and going after the real threat to Obama and DHS: violent Tea Party rhetoric.
“Did the Freepers who supported this monstrosity think that a liberal would never again be elected President??”
That’s exactly why I was and I still am against it.
And while we're at it, every other useless executive agency--Dept. of Energy, Dept of Education, Dept of Transportation, and especially the FCC.
“The Patriot Act didn’t prevent the Ft. Hood massacre, with his his intentions OUT IN THE OPEN for any reasonable intelligence community to see.”
Fail to use the tool doesnt negate the need for the tool.
“They seem to be giving Islam a pass and going after the real threat to Obama and DHS: violent Tea Party rhetoric.”
SEEM to be?
So...instead of holding their feet to the fire...you give the libtards what they want?
1? That’s it?
Our government is pursuing freedom robbing intrusions into our lives while turning a blind eye to our borders.
They see Americans as the enemy instead of those that come here illegally. They turn a blind eye to those who wish to harm us because of their ethnicity, and turn around and fondle grandma at the airport.
I have a problem with this.
And I’m sure a nuke or dirty bomb going off will teach them all a lesson...right?
And no...this isnt fear...it’s a cold calculation...
As soon as they have the means they will do it...
And as I stated earlyer...
Many Freepers are all for govt intrusion when it comes to drug testing...
Situational logic.
Yes, they should have secured our border.
“It tells me that even Kuchinich is going to make sense once or twice a decade.”
WHEN HAS A LIBTARD EVER MADE SENCE????
It doesnt dawn on you that the libatrds are simply looking out for their muslim buddies?
I see....it Doesnt matter to you if it’s one or one hundred...
Yes I’m sure there are more.....but for some reason...your google doesnt work...
And you are asking me to do you homework for you..
In the time it took to challenge me...you could have looked it up yourself.
The so-called Patriot Act is tailor made for the kind of "war on terror" we are fighting, in which we hassle American citizens and spend American military lives playing whack-a-mole with the small fry, while their enablers in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia get hugs, bows, and hand holding.
Personally I think that the Democrats who voted against giving these totalitarian powers to the Obama administration deserve a round of applause. I wish that Republicans had done the same thing with respect to Bush.
So the patriot act is supposed to catch the libtard Muslim buddies, while the TSA outright gives them an express lane. While the military doesn’t dare chastise a whacked out Muslim for fear of being insensitive, we’re supposed to give up our freedom and liberty? For what purpose?
We have to be right 100 percent of the time to prevent an attack. Exactly how much freedom are you willing to hand over to meet this impossible goal? 30% 50% 75% or 100%?
The Patriot Act was a long time coming going back to the Clinton administration. Nothing new under the sun. I trust none of them.
LLS
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