WH continues Patriot Act push (accuse Senate Dems of playing politics)

[sabra]

http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20060103-114210-7999r

WH continues Patriot Act push

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- The White House accused Senate Democrats of playing politics with the Patriot Act and Tuesday urged permanent renewal of its expiring provisions.

"it's important to renew and reauthorize these provisions," spokesman Scott McClellan said. "It's critical that we not go without provisions in the law even for a day."

The Patriot Act, which allows broader intelligence sharing among various government agencies, was enacted with overwhelming bipartisan support in the wake of al-Qaida's 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. Included were a number of controversial provisions that gave authorities wider investigative powers, such as roving wiretaps and nationwide search warrants for electronic (Internet) communications.

...

McClellan Tuesday again slammed the blocking Democrats and said they were acting "to appease special interests and play politics with it."

[texpatriot2004]

1. "playing politics" is that what Scotty calls defending the U.S.

Constitution and protecting the rights of Americans.

[blm]

2. Was Sununu playing politics with his Dec2003 legislation with Kerry to

overturn the parts of the Patriot Act that infringed too much on civil liberties?

Can Scotty answer that one?

[chelsea0011]

3. Politicians playing politics? How can that happen?

[MidwestTransplant]

4. What about Sennsenbrenner big fella.

[libodem]

5. that's the pot calling the kettle black

gawd everything they do is politically motivated. What a bunch of crybaby lala sissy pants morans....all they want is to have their way, all the time. I hate 'em.

[Arkansas Granny]

6. This is their usual whiney-assed cry whenever they don't get

what they want when they want it. Any time they are opposed they accuse those who oppose them of the very thing that they are doing, i.e. appeasing special interests and playing politics. They have no concept of careful consideration of an issue or of compromise. They just try to bulldoze everything they want through with their "you're either with us or with the terrorists" byline to either scare or intimidate their opposition to acquiesce to their demands.

[babydollhead]

7. politicians ARE political.

like doctors are doctoral. swimmers swim.

[liveoaktx]

8. He was called on that crap by Wendell of Fox News who pointed

out AGAIN that there were also Republicans involved with this. Scotty rolled over him and insisted it was Dems. The reporters KNOW, though.

[woodsprite]

9. Isn't "Playing politics" better than "Playing mafia boss"?

After today and all that Abramoff/Scanlon crapola, that's what EVERYONE (freepers included) should be thinking.

After all, that's what we hire them to do -- Not to be Don Corleon wannabe's.

[thebigidea]

10. I'd wish they'd say, "what the fuck do you want us to play? Badminton?"

[FVZA_Colonel]

11. Bush Opens Push For Patriot Act

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060103/pl_nm/security_patriot_dc


Bush pushes for Patriot Act renewal
By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush opened a 30-day push to gain renewal of the anti-terrorism USA Patriot Act on Tuesday with a partisan blast at Democrats and a meeting with U.S. prosecutors who called the law essential.

A temporary extension of the Patriot Act, reached in December to stop a Democratic filibuster blocking maneuver, expires February 3 and Bush is using the early days of the new year to press for permanent passage of the law.

He accused Democrats of blocking the law for "partisan reasons," and White House spokesman Scott McClellan was blunter, saying Democrats were putting politics ahead of national security.

"The enemy has not gone away. They're still there. And I expect Congress to understand that we're still at war, and they've got to give us the tools necessary to win this war," Bush said.
...................................................................................................................................................................

Considering how everything this man touches just turns to gold, I'm sure this will go spectacuarly well...

[Fovea]

12. I wish our glorious president for life

the same sort of catastrophic victory he suffered with Social Security privatization.

[Nickster]

14. First thing that came to my mind too.

Hope it's as successful as your Social Security tour!

[ixion]

13. shouldn't he be in a cell somewhere...

like the Hague?

[Atman]

15. The Constitution is not a "partisan issue"

Indeed, the enemy has NOT gone away, Mr. President, but we're doing our damnedest to see to it that they're defeated in November.

[Virginian]

28. Was Bush accusing Congress of playing politics?

I guess he was right, they are not working the entire month of January so that Delay can come back and be their leader. When they re-convene, they will have what, three days to pass it?

[Judi Lynn]

16. White House attacks opposition on anti-terrorism law standoff

White House attacks opposition on anti-terrorism law standoff
Jan 3, 2006, 22:44 GMT

Washington - The White House Tuesday stepped up its attacks on opposition Democrats over their refusal to extend indefinitely certain provisions of an anti-terrorism law.

President George W. Bush said Democrats are blocking the so-called Patriot Act for 'partisan reasons' after having nearly unanimously supported the law when it was first passed in 2001.

Democrats and some Republicans say the law violated certain U.S. privacy protections and civil liberties.
(snip)

'They want to undermine and weaken the Patriot Act,' McClellan said, adding that Democrats are 'beholden' to outside interest groups like the American Civil Liberties Union.
(snip/...)

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/northamerica/article_1073181.php/White_House_attacks_opposition_on_anti-terrorism_law_standoff

[pinerow]

17. 911...911...911...911...911...

that's all he has to fall back on...!!!

[wordpix2]

25. al qaeda, al qaeda, al qaeda

[eomer]

18. Makes sense that they think the ACLU is an outside interest group.

After all, they represent the interest of the American people, who clearly are an outside group to this administration.

[DemGa]

19. Some Republicans are blocking this too, is that correct?

[Xipe Totec]

20. I Believe the opposite

That Dems supported the Patriot Act for purely political reasons. Anybody who voted against it in 2001 would have gone down to defeat in 2002, accused of being weak on terrorism.

But that dog won't hunt anymore.

[dansolo]

26. They also knew there were sunset provisions

However craven, they did reserve the right to revisit the law.

[fushuugi]

21. question for du'ers:

how many of us could describe ourselves as disaffected and representatively ignored by congress and the executive branch?

[Rex]

22. The WH loves to accuse others of what they do best.

Play politics. That's all these assholes DO is play politics! Don't expect any REAL progress or WORK from lazy ass GOPers. All they can do is fuck up a good system of government. The Patriot Act is a POS, draconian legislation. No one will miss it and intel-inner-agency cooperation has nothing to do with Congress. It is the Executive branches job to fix the various departments problems. Hey WH, you suck and can't manage worth a shit!

[Nikki Stone 1]

23. Are they using the Iraqi kid from Florida as evidence ("holes in security)

Just wondered

[adigal]

24. I actually put my head in my hands

and wept after that press conference. At how the reporters just took McClellan's lies, and did not push back. At how he and Bush today both said that the Democrats who are against some parts of the Patriot Act are endangering Americans for political purposes. How the hell can they say such a horrible thing? Good people can disagree about policy without calling each other traitorous. I am just sick at what has happened to our nation in 5 short years. And no media, no politicians, are holding this administration accountable.

[wordpix2]

27. oh, c'mon, Founding Fathers didn't weep, they fought King George!

[cal04]

29. Bush Assails Democrats Over Patriot Act

This thread has been combined with another thread.

Click here to read this message in its new location.

[Thor_MN]

30. "Freedom is on the march" AND "You need give it up to be safe"???

Come on, George... Which is it? Make up your mind!!! You can't have both sides of the coin, except with the 20some % that think you are doing a heckuva job.

[cal04]

31. Bush Assails Democrats Over Patriot Act

Bush Assails Democrats Over Patriot Act
Opponents Are Blocking Law's Full Renewal for Political Reasons, President Says

President Bush accused Democrats yesterday of blocking a full reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act for political reasons, as the White House stepped up an aggressive campaign to defend the president's terrorism-fighting authority.
"For partisan reasons, in my mind, people have not stepped up," Bush told reporters, with 19 federal prosecutors by his side. "The enemy has not gone away; they're still there, and I expect Congress to understand that we're still at war and they've got to give us the tools necessary to win this war."

White House spokesman Scott McClellan, speaking to reporters earlier in the day, said Senate Democrats are simply doing the bidding of liberal special interest groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, which opposes the broad surveillance power authorized by the act. Democrats are trying to "appease" the ACLU "because they want to weaken and undermine the Patriot Act," McClellan said.

The Patriot Act, which Congress voted to extend until the end of this month amid a bitter political dispute over its reach, provides the federal government with broad power to monitor and prosecute terrorism suspects and those helping them. Many Democrats and a few key Republicans oppose the act as written because they say it does not provide adequate protections for the civil liberties of innocent Americans.

The Patriot Act is expected to dominate the debate when Congress returns at the end of the month and to serve as a backdrop for a broader, and possibly even more contentious, argument over Bush's anti-terrorism policies. The White House is bracing for a heated dispute over both the Patriot Act and the recent revelations that Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency to monitor communications within the United States involving terrorism suspects overseas. Congress is planning hearings on the NSA program this month and another vote on the Patriot Act early next month, when the current extension expires.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/03/AR2006010301282.html

[rustydog]

32. Republicans control the House and Senate...

Democrats can't hold up legislation unless there are REPUBLICANS on their side Mr. Numbnut President.

Try the truth just ONCE, please. Like: "Ladies and gentlemen, I lied to you and to the legislature regarding the reasons for invading Iraq and i am responsible for the deaths of untold tens of thosands of innocent human eings. I'll be spending the rest of my life seeking the forgiveness of the Almighty...."

[bemildred]

33. Yep, sure don't want any politics in Congress.

:rofl::rofl:

[Mz Pip]

34. What does Bush need the Patriot Act for anyway?

He does what he damn well pleases without it or the approval of our courts.

Imperial Bush. Saving us from ourselves.

Mz Pip
:dem:L

[Vidar]

35. Freedom is a political reason, asshol;e?