Senate Dems Approve Extension of Patriot Act Revisions. Meet the New Boss, Etc.
By Susie Madrak Friday Oct 09, 2009 5:00pmReally, it gets harder all the time to tell the Democrats from the Republicans, doesn't it?
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill Thursday that would renew portions of the USA Patriot Act in an effort to address administration concerns about protecting terrorism investigations.
But several Democrats and civil liberties advocates said the legislation would do little to strengthen privacy protections. And some Republicans said the bill, despite amendments worked out with the administration, would still unduly burden investigators.
By a vote of 11 to 8, the committee sent to the Senate floor a measure that would extend until 2013 three surveillance provisions set to expire Dec. 31. They would allow investigators to use roving wiretaps to monitor suspects who may switch cellphone numbers, to obtain business records of national security targets, and to track "lone wolves" who may be acting alone on behalf of foreign powers or terrorist groups.
The bill would also slightly tighten the legal standard for the FBI's issuing of administration subpoenas known as national security letters (NSLs), which allow the bureau to obtain phone, credit and other personal records, and which the Justice Department inspector general has said are subject to "serious misuse."
Oh, I feel much better now, knowing it will be "slightly" more difficult for the feds to abuse constitutional rights.
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let's do something, stand up to the scumbags.
for the re-authorisation of the patriot act in 2006 silly!
he {IS!} ..."one of the scumbags".
Obama also voted to give Chimpster and Darth Voldemort all the war money they ever asked for, and it looks like he wants to boost the pentagons budget by at least 100 billion this year so dont look to him for help on the "war" thing either!
....and Obama voted for immunity for telecoms who helped Chimpy spy on us (so dont look to him for help there either!)
...Obama also voted for the Chimpy/Paulson bankster bailout with no oversite... and (thusly) "crying to Obama" ...wont help in that department either!
also...don't complain to Obama about all the lobbyists, think tankers and banksters who are infesting our govt because...
Obama appointed them!
buts its not going to happen. People are too busy watching Dancing with the stars or American idol. As long as they can get some beer, sports, Doritos and tv..everyone is happy.
People need to wake up, both parties are in on the corruption, thats why you have to stop voting Repubs or Dems unless the people who are running are Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich..there are few who come close.
Really?
Cuz that's just so full of the stupid.
No, voting for him would have been your best choice next to Kucinich. Voting Obama was "full of the stupid" of whatever the heck that means.
Its quit obvious from this article that voting Obama was dumb, other people on this thread illustrate all of Obama's betrayals (the same ones clinton supported).
Thats what happens when you support msm candidates.
Whatever happened to the SUNSET provision? HA HA HA. The joke's on us.
Strategic and important: DO THIS NOW and DON'T LET GO:
IF they insist on the Patriot Act, then DEMAND the return of Habeus Corpus.
Just DO IT.
Furthermore, private industry has you SO tracked that "privacy" has fuzzy edges at this point anyway.
But habeus corpus matters.
Fix It Now.
Welcome to the Fascist States of America.
These neutered little punks make me sick.
When you grow a spine, please let me know. Until then, if you expect me to spend even one fucking minute working to get you re-elected in '10 or '12, you are sadly mistaken. I worked my ass off in '06 and '08.
Now, you can kiss my ass. I won't vote for Republicans (though, in truth, I have twice before), so I'll either sit out, or vote for a liberal/progressive candidate in my area.
When you grow a pair, please alert the media. I'm sure I'll notice. It'll 'make man bites dog,' or "fire-hydrant pisses on dog," secondary news.
PROVE ME WRONG!!!
I NEVER voted for a Republican for President! I voted for a Congressman in NY, and Jacob Javits 30 + years ago (Jacob was more liberal than the Dem candidate that year).
I'm not going to say that I'll NEVER vote for a Republican candidate. It's just that it's not really likely in my lifetime. I give it about the same chance as winning the lottery in my state, or having Halley Barry or Claudia Schiffer vow undying love to me...
I left the Democratic Party last year right after the NJ primaries. Gave Obama my vote reluctantly and decided I'd had enough after 16 years. The last election is likely my last vote ever until we get something other than this fraudulent two party system.
As for bilana20...eff-off a-hole.
{You're welcome. Please feel free to flag any spammers at anytime. We appreciate the help. Thank You. SM}
I think George Carlin said it best when he describes the only difference between the parties: "Republicans screw the poor and the Democrats pretend to feel guilty about screwing the poor."
He also said, "The only actual choice you have in this country is...paper or plastic."
living rooms, televisions, wives, and children. We are only trying to protect you.
I have none of those things.
to brand me a:
CONCERN TROLL!!!!
because I dare to disagree with the Obama Administration and the Democratic Party.
(Memo to "blueballs"....this one's for you).
I've been called a racist more than once!!!!
...or is that sister?
I mean, that is change...hope...and a new way forward...right???
Okay, no criticism of Precious One...I must remember my place that on some blogs one is not to be criticized.....
Who has the Messiah complex now?
I see that no real "left" exists these days and suck-ups to any political party is not what I would call a viable left or a workable antiwar movement to the elites in power from any political/economic stripe. The so-called liberal left has FAILED MISERABLY at peace issues and those issues attached to the National Security State of which the Democratic Party supports and did so under President Bush and now with Obama.
It is too bad that so many have caved in to their??????? so called "peace principles" to support such a BANKRUPT and LAWLESS Democratic Party who have gotten NOTHING DONE YET!!!!! Pathetic if you ask me!!!
One abomination after another.
to investigate the housing and foreclosure fraud perpetrated by our financial sector?
What the hell about Sibel Edmonds and her testimony with evidence that has been deemed credible? You know the testimony that clearly indicates Congress critters illegally taking bribes for foreign entities.
18-year counterintel/espionage manager John Cole further confirms Edmonds credibility, accuracy of charges, panic at Bureau when allegations first surfaced in 2002, and the need for prosecutions...
Read about and listen to an interview with him here...
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7449#more-7449
Dennis Hastert: "[S]everal categories. The acceptance of large sums of bribery in forms of cash or laundered cash ... to make it look legal for his campaigns, and also for his personal use, in order to do certain favors ... make certain things happen for foreign entities and foreign governments' interests, Turkish government's interest and Turkish business entities' interests. ... other activities, too, including being blackmailed for various reasons. ... he used the townhouse that was not his residence for certain not very morally accepted activities. ... foreign entities knew about this, in fact, they sometimes participated in some of those not maybe morally well activities in that particular townhouse that was supposed to be an office, not a house, residence at certain hours, certain days, evenings of the week."
Stephen Solarz: "[A]s lobbyist ... acted as conduit to deliver or launder contribution and other briberies to certain members of Congress, but also in pressuring outside Congress, and including blackmail, in certain members of Congress."
Bob Livingston: "Until 1999 ... not very legal activities on behalf of foreign interests and entities, and after 1999 acting as a conduit to, again, further foreign interests, both overtly and covertly as a lobbyist, but also as an operative."
Tom Lantos (deceased): "[N]ot only ... bribe[ry], but also ... disclosing highest level protected U.S. intelligence and weapons technology information both to Israel and to Turkey. ... other very serious criminal conduct."
Jan Schakowsky: (Though not identified as such during the deposition, Edmonds has since confirmed her to be a Democrat) "[T]his Congresswoman's married with children, grown children, but she is bisexual. ... So they have sent Turkish female agents, and that Turkish female agents work for Turkish government, and have sexual relationship with this Congresswoman in her townhouse ... and the entire episodes of their sexual conduct was being filmed because the entire house, this Congressional woman's house was bugged. ... to be used for certain things that they wanted to request ... I don't know if she did anything illegal afterwards. ... the Turkish entities, wanted both congressional related favoritism from her, but also her husband was in a high position in the area in the state she was elected from, and these Turkish entities ran certain illegal operations, and they wanted her husband's help. But I don't know if she provided them with those."
Roy Blunt: "[T]he recipient of both legally and illegally raised donations, campaign donations from ...Turkish entities."
Dan Burton: (And others) "[E]xtremely illegal activities against the United States citizens who were involved in [covert] operations that were ... against ... foreign government[s] and foreign entities against the United States' interests."
Is that my alarm clock ringing?
Whaaa? How long did it take you to realize this?
Maybe when America is completely taken over by failed investment bankers, and the Dems declare war on Iraq, people might wake up and start to realize these are two sides of the same coin.
I despised G.W. for 8 years because he was a mouth breathing piece of shit. In 2006 I thought there would be a change in this country and nothing happened. The lack of an impeachment or any meaningful investigation into the crimes against humanity really depressed me.
Now, there is no reason for lack of progress. Dems own the White House, the Senate (with super majority) and the Congress. I dare anyone to point out one piece of progressive legislation that has been enacted in the last 8 months. These bastards haven't rolled back one thing that has plagued this country for 8 years. They haven't even tried.
If you need any more evidence that there is only one party, the party of the rich, then you need to put down the crack pipe and join reality. This is a country that exists solely for the benefit of our corporate overlords. They take what they want and we give it to them without question, without prosecution, without a whimper of objection.
Welcome to the new age. The age of the technologically advanced serfdom. Enjoy your loss of any progress. Thank you to the newly elected majority to prove there is no difference at all.
Excuse me while I opt out of this thing you all decide to call "civilization".
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