Sweet Jesus! *Expansion of the Death Penalty under the PATRIOT Act *

[G_j]

From the ACLU:

http://www.aclu.org/NationalSecurity/NationalSecurity.cfm?ID=15502&c=24

Oppose Expansion of the Death Penalty under the PATRIOT Act

Despite being stymied in its efforts to push a successor to the controversial USA Patriot Act through Congress, the Bush Administration is urging the U.S. House to pass a piece of this legislation that would dramatically expand the federal death penalty, including expansion based on the PATRIOT Act's infamous "domestic terrorism" provisions.

Due to the groundswell of opposition against the PATRIOT Act, President Bush and Attorney General Ashcroft have been unable to introduce its sequel -- "PATRIOT Act II" -- as a single package. Instead, they are trying to escape public notice by passing it in pieces. One of these pieces, the "Terrorist Penalties Enhancement Act of 2003" (HR 2934) would be an unprecedented expansion of the federal death penalty.

The proposed legislation would establish 23 separate new death penalties in one stroke and would also create an unprecedented “catch-all” death penalty for any crime that meets the PATRIOT Act’s overbroad definition of terrorism.

This bill would hurt the war on terror by reducing the cooperation that foreign governments would be willing to provide. This lost cooperation would include critical information and the ability to extradite suspected terrorists.

Take Action! Urge your Representative to oppose this unnecessary and unwise expansion of the death penalty.

This legislation would not deter terrorists. This legislation will almost certainly have no deterrent effect on suicidal, politically motivated terrorists such as members of Al Qaeda. Not only do these terrorists seek death in their actions, well-publicized executions are far more likely to create a perverse incentive by giving terrorist organizations the gift of publicity – often the most important tactical goal of any terrorist action.

Expansion of the death penalty under the vaguely worded “terrorism” definition of the PATRIOT Act would chill protests. Protestors and activists from Greenpeace to Operation Rescue would risk being sentenced to death and executed for participating in civil disobedience events that are now defined as “terrorism” under the PATRIOT Act, if they resulted in a death of one of the participants or someone else.

This bill would actually hurt the war on terror. Many nations in Europe and elsewhere that have abolished the death penalty are unwilling to extradite or provide evidence in federal terrorism cases if the death penalty might result from their cooperation. This bill would further limit their cooperation and participation.

TAKE ACTION!



Send a Free FAX in 2 Clicks!

[tom_paine]

1. My God. Just about ALL the apparatus for Totalitarianism

is in place NOW.

If we don't stop these monsters in November (the ballot has indeed become the Only Remaining Law in Amerika as it relates to the Imperial Family), the Old American Republic will be dead.

Stone. Cold. Dead.

[indepat]

17. For surely the Patriot Act's over-broad definition could include dissent

of any of their actions in any form. It's ten to one the Rethugs in the House will vote in goose (strike that) lockstep fashion to give W whatever he wants, so to hell with and damn the Constitution, the rule of law, common sense, human decency, equal protection under the law, fair play, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, even freedom itself.

[Pepperbelly]

29. this definition?

From Section 802:

`(5) the term `domestic terrorism' means activities that--

`(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;

`(B) appear to be intended--

`(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;

`(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or

`(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and

`(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.'.

The real kicker for the law seems to be the subsequent sections that amend various criminal statutes to broaden what is a crime under the USA Patriot Act.

[TNOE]

2. NOW THAT'S CHRISTIAN!

NOT. Just like the rest of his sadistic ideas.

[7th_Sephiroth]

3. this is my last straw

tho totally predictable

[Wind Dancer]

4. Disgusting!

snip

"This bill would actually hurt the war on terror. Many nations in Europe and elsewhere that have abolished the death penalty are unwilling to extradite or provide evidence in federal terrorism cases if the death penalty might result from their cooperation. This bill would further limit their cooperation and participation."


This administration plays the terra card to promote their own insane agenda. This country needs to abolish capital punishment, not add to it. A$hcroft wants camps to be built, * is begging for a terra attack to delay the elections, we've invaded a sovereign country illegally, tortured and murdered prisoners, and the list goes on. We must stop this madness.

[Mandate My Ass]

5. THis is beyond chilling

Expansion of the death penalty under the vaguely worded “terrorism” definition of the PATRIOT Act would chill protests. Protestors and activists from Greenpeace to Operation Rescue would risk being sentenced to death and executed for participating in civil disobedience events that are now defined as “terrorism” under the PATRIOT Act, if they resulted in a death of one of the participants or someone else.

[G_j]

9. so if

an act of CD resulted in a Kent State type death to one of the participants?

"..executed for participating in civil disobedience events that are now defined as “terrorism” under the PATRIOT Act, if they resulted in a death of one of the participants or someone else."
--------
also I remember a Repug from Oregon attempting to have a wide spectrum of protest defined as terrorism.

[Mandate My Ass]

12. I suppose so

They left it very vague and very broad and it doesn't seem to require direct action on anyone's part, merely being part of the CD that resulted in the death.

I'm sure Ashcroft would be orgasmic at the execution of a protestor.

[bluedog]

6. didn't they already

vote on the repassing of the PATRIOT Act

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. This passed the House Judiciary Committee a few weeks ago

it was introduced by Arlen Specter - that 'moderate Republican' that people thought was preferable to his fundamentalist Republican primary opponent.
his remarks
"It adds the death penalty as a punishment in a number of situations that do not currently provide for the death penalty, such as sabotage of a national defense installation, sabotage of a nuclear facility, or destroying an energy facility.

In addition, this legislation includes conspiracy and attempt to commit terrorist acts in the list of terrorism offenses subject to the death penalty. It would enable prosecutors to seek the death penalty for terrorist fundraisers, for example.

Another important aspect of this legislation would be to remove the so-called gateway factors to impose the death penalty for terrorist offenses. It adds terrorism to the list of offenses, espionage and treason, for which the death penalty can be imposed without the gateway factors being met. For other offenses, the death penalty can only be imposed if there is a direct link between the criminal act and the death of a victim and prosecutors do not believe they can establish such a link in the case of a terrorist fundraiser. "

[Massacure]

7. We don't need to kill more people

We need to kill less.

[soup]

10. Fax sent n/t

[shraby]

14. Fax sent n/t

[Endangered Specie]

11. Bush misses the good ol days of being governor...

he doesnt get to throw the switch quite as much as now.

[proud patriot]

13. glad to help n/t

[kayell]

15. Cheney, cheney, cheney! Remind me how their not like nazis.

This and their very loose definition of terrorism, and we're all in danger. I expect their will be a law by Nov. about protesting polling place closures, or protesting during terror alerts.

[ulysses]

16. fax sent

:kick:

[Mandate My Ass]

18. 2 faxes sent

I'm on the border of Curt Weldon's :dunce: and Chakkah Fattah's districts so I wrote them both. There's no hope for Weldon but I gave him my .02 anyway.

[shraby]

19. Kick this and keep it on top

:kick:

[G_j]

20. unfortunately

my Senator, Charles Taylor, is RWingnut. Of course I sent it anyway.
This should really go out to everyone.

[Ann Arbor Dem]

21. Done! I'm so glad that John Dingell is my Congressman. n/t

[kimchi]

22. Done.

Thank God Moran usually votes my way.

[coeur_de_lion]

23. done

[truth2power]

24. Fax sent n/t

[Blue Gardener]

25. I hope they all read it this time n/t

[G_j]

26. kick

[robertpaulsen]

27. kick this to the top!

[Geo55]

28. Kick

Done.
Don't know how far they'll take this , but they sure are trying to get the machinery (laws)set up.

[Cerridwen]

30. Fax sent . . . n/t

[donhakman]

31. And terrorists will be executed

[LiberalForEver]

32. Fax sent!

[Wilber_Stool]

33. Done n/t

[WEagle]

34. done &^%$#@&!

[MetaTrope]

35. And the trial will of course be by secret tribunal

While for security reasons, the identities of those being executed will not be released. For that matter, the fact that any executions are taking place at all will remain classified.

Watch for the announcement of a contract for Halliburton to build walk-in ovens at Guatanamo.

[G_j]

36. kick

[G_j]

37. midnight kick

:kick: