Today (1/25) is National PATRIOT Act Call-In Day!

[Bill McBlueState]

From the Bill of Rights Defense Committee:

Today (1/25) is National PATRIOT Act Call-In Day!

Find contact information for your Senators and Representative.
Or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 (24 hours).

Main message

Please phone both your Senators and your Representative. Ask your members of Congress to work for a PATRIOT Act reauthorization bill that truly preserves free speech and privacy, and that restores checks and balances, including judicial review and much greater congressional oversight.

Other suggested talking points

Calls to congressional offices tend to be short, so choose the one or two changes to the PATRIOT Act you believe are most needed:

* Prevent the FBI from “fishing” through our private purchase, medical, and library records by requiring a statement of fact linking persons whose records are sought to a terrorism investigation.
* Allow businesses and libraries to pose a meaningful challenge to a FISA Court order or a National Security Letter demanding customer records.
* In light of warrantless wiretapping of domestic email and phone communications authorized by the president, make sure there are sufficient privacy safeguards and oversight on all parts of the PATRIOT Act involving the executive branch (which includes the Department of Justice and the FBI).
* Protect our first amendment rights by removing a proposed provision that would subject anyone who protests in cordoned-off areas at presidential appearances to prison sentences up to 10 years.
* Eliminate proposed new death penalties from the reauthorization.
* I’m not fooled by the administration’s fear-mongering or its arguments that there are partisan differences on these issues of security and liberty. Americans conservative and progressive know that our actions must be constrained by the rule of law, the Constitution, and checks and balances.
* Now that we know the president has secretly authorized illegal, warrantless wiretaps, and the FBI and the Pentagon have spied on peaceful protest groups, Congress must immediately stop those actions and hold much more detailed investigations over the whole Patriot Act (not just the sunsetting provisions) before reauthorizing any part of the Patriot Act.
* Although the Senate reauthorization bill is insufficient, it is a much better starting point than the House version or the Conference Report.
* While I’m concerned about terror, if America becomes a fear-ridden police state, the terrorists will have won, so we must protect our fundamental rights and privacy above all.
* Please work with your colleagues in Congress to take charge of the debate about how to protect us from terrorist threats without jeopardizing our civil liberties.

continued here

[necso]

1. This would appear to be of even greater importance now.

But the timing doesn't appear that good.

Perhaps there needs to be another call-in day, once this particular tragedy* is over with.

Or just call-in whenever... but do call, email, etc.

*: Substitute the word of your choice. -- "Tragedy" is the kindest word that I can come up with.

[Bill McBlueState]

2. yeah, that's kinda what I thought about the timing

But it can't hurt, if you have the time to make a few calls.