Under the Radar: U.S. Congress prepares to renew Patriot Act

[steve2470]

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7925323-under-the-radar-us-congress-prepares-to-renew-patriot-act

Some controversial provisions of the Patriot Act are set to expire this year. These provisions were introduced under the Bush administration. A new bill has been introduced that would renew the provisions rather than have them expire.

When the Patriot Act was first introduced and signed into Law, Congress tried to quell concerns of civil libertarian by putting in sunset dates that would force renewal of some controversial provisions. However, there have been successive extensions even under Obama and apparently the pattern is set to repeat itself.

This is happening even though the concerns expressed by critics have proved correct. A 2008 Justice Department report confirmed that the FBI regularly abused their ability to obtain personal records of Americans without a warrant.

The extension bill introduced on Jan. 5 was virtually identical to the extension passed last year, its passage was seen as likely. Julian Sachez from the CATO institute said:"Given the very limited number of days Congress has in session before the current deadline, and the fact that the bill's Republican sponsor is only seeking another year, I think it's safe to read this as signaling an agreement across the aisle to put the issue off yet again," Sachez expects that this will happen year after year unless there is a major scandal. Perhaps he should have said even if there is a major scandal! As Sachez puts it:"reining in the growth of the surveillance state becomes an item perpetually on next year's agenda."

[aquart]

1. What a surprise.

[Tesha]

11. Indeed. "Who could have imagined this happening?" (NT)

[midnight]

2. Can we put this to a vote?

[Donnachaidh]

3. "Change we can believe in"

yeah right :snort:

[SpiralHawk]

4. Why does this crap all happen occultly?

What is wrong with having the citizens of the United States of America make open and informed and free will decisions about this stuff?

[Octafish]

5. It's kept us safe.

Remember that one Senator who voted against us?

[Hubert Flottz]

8. Who shit in the golf cart?

[Hubert Flottz]

6. Patriot Act = Enabling Act.

9/11 = Reichstag Fire

[krabigirl]

7. Of course. But it isn't secret..just no one in the media cares to report it.

[Mnemosyne]

9. KnR for truth and visibility. n/t

[steve2470]

10. kick for overnight crowd nt