On January 5th, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) introduced a bill to add yet another year to the soon to be expiring Patriot Act. This would extend it until February of 2012, and passage is likely to happen with little debate or contention. If passed, this would be the second time the Obama administration has punted on campaign promises to roll back excessive surveillance measures allowed under the act passed in the wake of 9/11.
When the Patriot Act was first signed in 2001, it was billed as a temporary measure required because of the extreme circumstances created by the terrorist threat. The fear from its opponents was that executive power, once given, is seldom relinquished. In retrospect, that fear appears well founded. Not only has Obama not given the power back, but he has continued to abuse it to spy on citizens without due process.
In 2007, candidate Obama said during his Presidency there would be "no more National Security Letters to spy on citizens who are not suspected of a crime" because "that is not who we are, and it is not what is necessary to defeat the terrorists." The hope that he'll make good on that statement is seeming pretty audacious.
Comments
Obama is no different than other politicians. They make up stories during the campaign to make them look good, then don't do squat when they get in.
He's just as power-hungry as other politicians, he won't give the power he has back unless they are forcibly taken from him.
Your ignorance is disgusting. Rep. Rogers is a Republican, President Obama is a Democrat. It amazes me that when anything bad happens, they call it "The Obama Administration" like it's his fault. Either you are an idiot, or you just count on everyone else being stupid enough to believe you.
Obama will extend the Patriot Act. Why? Because he knows that it is an effective tool. If something happened to the country that could have been prevented due to the Patriot Act being in place, he knows he nor any other Democrat would ever be elected president again. He's no dummy and he knows full well that you libtards have no other choice but to put up with his broken promises, its not like you will suddenly want Sarah Palin to be president.
Well, the Sarah Palin part I agree with :)
Yes, the Patriot Act is highly effective.
It's lead to the capture of Osama Bin Laden.... err...wait...
It's prevented numerous terrorist attacks... umm..hold on a sec...
It's made us more free by making us safer... err... well gee I guess it hasn't really done anything other than pave the way for the TSA and more domestic spying. The Patriot Act, of course, drawn up by "big government" hating Republicans and supported by all the dittoheads out there.
Seriously... Republicans, wake up. You want to be conservative? Start conserving our freedoms. You want the government out of your lives? Stop signing away our rights. You want to be taken seriously? Stop agreeing with everything your Limbaughs, Becks, and painted cows tell you.
What the hell?
Paul,
"Obama will extend the Patriot Act. Why? Because he knows that it is an effective tool."
It's shocking how you only see " libtards " and "reptards"
Please read something that isn't fox news or cnn related. research history. READ! just freaking read and stop listening to main stream media.
If you can't understand what I am asking you to do.... Then there is no hope for you:(
I can see the fox news part as the conservative, but CNN liberal? I think you meant MSNBC.
The fact is the overwhelming majority of the population are completely unaffected by the Patriot Act. As much as I'd like to see it expire, they won't let it happen until there is a glaring example of abuse (and I mean a real headliner). So far, hasn't really happened, and believe me, a lot of people are watching/waiting. When it finally happens (and it will), there will be public outrage and it will be repealed or allowed to expire. Simple as that.
what, the TSA sexual assaults and wasting money on illusions of security that does little more than feign an attempt to keep us safe isnt an outrage enough? The government justifys its antics by using fear campaigns and uses more fear campaigns to justify extending the Patriot Act. Ironically the military defines a Terrorist organization as anyone that uses coercion, violence, or the threat of violence to accomplish goals that are religious, ideological, or "political" in nature. By our own militarys definition, the USA government is a Terrorist Organization.
You guys miss the point. This law is NOT constitutional. It is an illegal law. It needs to go away.
Make a different plan, if needed.
Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
Allow the "Patriot Act" to expire
To those complaining that this is a Republican or Democrat only thing, the Patriot Act was extended last year with a majority of both parties voting for it. President Obama at that time could have said no but he did not. This is simply politicians not relinquishing power once they have it and as they did last year passing it under the radar so no one even knows to complain until it's too late.
We have a President, not a king! A president can rule only with the cooperation of our congress. That is why G. W. Bush, R. Cheney and the RNC bent so many arms of many in congress behind their backs between 09/11/2001 and 05/1/2003. They needed to appear strong and proactive after decades of Plutocratic inebriation left a flank open. But, cooperation through coercion is still valid if every participant threats it as such. The fact that many of those congressional members are politically unable to conceit these huge mistakes perpetuate a bad law. Congress is the key here, because congress makes the laws the and budgets. The president reviews and signs that legislation, but a president is not a govern with enough welt an power to "do the right thing" without the "people's" support. For those who really desire "Change," contact your congressional representatives in both houses and make the case. Then encourage your friends and family to do the same. Whining in a forum is so unAmerican, and is about as patriotic as supporting "Talk Radio."
the Patriot Act started taking shape in Bush Daddy's administration. a plan was devised, a false flag, to impliment it in Sonny boy's administration. by allowing 2 planes to crash into WTC 1 & 2 as cover, then reducing them to dust with explosive charges the PTB were able to promote a war of aggression for control of oil, & control political descent in the US.
sombodies murdered 3000 of our fellow citizens to make this work ; do you think it will end by wishing ? 9/11 Truth! ...( do your homework ! )
Obama knew years ago he was going to do nothing in the way of reforms of this. In fact he needs the law to get him re-elected instead of pulling of another Watergate.
Of course they're going to renew it. It's a very useful tool for them.
Think: what if the American government got so out of control that a large amount of the American people decide to abolish it? For example, what if people judge that elections don't control how the government operates anymore? *cough* military-industrial complex *cough* Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission *hack* The government isn't going to just be like, "Okay, you're the people, you're the source of our power, and you're right; we step down and eliminate all of our power for you."
No, the government will brand the people who have the ability and desire to abolish it as terrorists, it will use existing legislation such as the Patriot Act to collect all information possible and then it will incarcerate or remove these "threats" by any means necessary. The more legal these means are, the more often they are used, the less it seems like government is expanding its authority and power and the less people will care.
It doesn't matter who is in power. They will always increase the power they wield.
The Patriot Act is not generating hysterical concerns because George Bush is no longer president. Are those of you opposed to continuing the Patriot Act also favoring recent policy by the Obama administration asserting a right to regulate the internet.? Or would the Patriot Act be more palatable to the left if viewed as a regulatory bill?
get rid of it , let it "die" or w/e....
I am one of the hundreds and perhaps thousands of people who are under surveillance. It has been 10 years since this "Investigation" started. I have never been arrested for any crime, i dont even have any parking or speeding tickets on my record. They have had me on 24/7 watch, they follow me everywhere i go, listen to all conversations i have etc, it seems like a waste of taxpayers dollars to me. I even purchased a website thefbiiswastingyourtaxdollars dot com but haven't put any content on it yet. I am a regular American, (White Male age 42) i have worked my whole life at various jobs, none of which are the least bit suspicious. Looks like the Patriot act gets passed every year, that is not likely to change anytime soon.
Benjamin Franklin once said: "They that give up essential liberty to purchase a little safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Who are you going to listen to, one of our most important founding fathers or a bunch of war mongering Republican's that don't give a damn about the Constitution or the liberty it is supposed to protect?
Do some homework and see what the founding fathers thought about unconstitutional infringement of liberty. They are very specific in their thoughts and would roll over in their graves if they knew that the federal gov't has started two preemptive wars and continue to support the PATRIOT act.
This phone spying predates the patriot act. I have notes on this witnesses and evidence on my facebook profile. Links from tv10morehead dot com OKC bombing also resulted in anti-terrorism legislation passing that had been dying in committee and saved slick willie's and Al Gore's hide from the doldrums and Chinese money scandalizers. Billy bob bl*wjob wouldn't go along with some things so the whormonica came back to play her tune after Wag the Dog was in post production. Massive Psyop from Hollyweird?
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