It's Patriot Act Reauthorization Time Again

[endless october]

Don't look now but Congress is poised to pass, with very little media attention, the Screw the 4th Amendment Act, aka another Patriot Act reauthorization. Rep. Mike Rogers has submitted the bill to do so because the last reauthorization expires at the end of February.

http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2011/01/its_patriot_act_reauthorizatio.php#more

[somone]

1. The insidious stealth of fascism

but everyone is secure and safe!

[unkachuck]

2. "...Patriot Act..."

....what does this even mean in the real world?

....our federal government is seriously out of control, it has a life of its own....I sincerely doubt anyone knows what's going on entirely within our federal government....

....and that includes our elected officials....

[rhett o rick]

3. How does the Pres Obama admin feel about extending the Bush Patriot Act? nm

[Riftaxe]

4. President Obama is for it

and has already extended it once, there is no reason to expect him to change.

[Hydra]

5. Are they planning on expanding it, or just getting a "legal opinion"

That says that the constitution is just a piece of paper?

[BlueCheese]

6. Anyone who has read Orwell...

... knows that nothing with a name like the "USA PATRIOT Act" can be a good thing.

Even if it contained exactly the same contents, I'd feel safer with the name "Temporary Anti-Terrorism Measures Act". Better yet would be "Temporary Anti-Terrorism Measures Act That We're Kind Of Unsure About And Which We Hope to Repeal As Soon As Possible Because We Understand The Value of Liberty Act."

[Stinky The Clown]

7. We should celebrate the day. We could call it "Freedom Day". Or "Liberty Day".

Or maybe "Man, We Are So Royally Fucked By Those We Trusted Day."

[villager]

8. You didn't imagine that "hope and change" meant... not renewing it, did you?

n/t

[endless october]

9. considering the President's senate voting record, i wasn't optimistic that he would push for repeal.

http://factcheck.barackobama.com/factcheck/2008/01/05/fact_check_obamas_consistent_p_1.php

i'm more disappointed in Democrats in general. many of them campaigned against the patriot act and are now rubber stamping it. however, i believe much of it is permanent now anyway. only certain provisions sunset, and they are always voted back in, so they may as well be permanent also.

it's also amazing and unnerving that the SC has largely upheld the unconstitutional legislation. but that's to be expected. power once granted is almost never rescinded.

[villager]

11. I guess the question is what, if anything, will wrest the power from their crypto-fascist hands?

n/t

[Obamanaut]

10. And the president will sign it. That hopey/changey feeling is diminishing. nt