I am not going into details about what this means to our rights, I have done that in the past and, does it really matter? In my blog entitled "We Must Stop The Patriot Act Revisions, Tell Everyone You Know!"
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/23/84832/0060 I explain, what the expansion, and the extension, of the Patriot Act would mean to this countries rights. >>>>>>>read on>>>>>>
Yesterday, with in hours of the botched London bombings, the Senate rushed ahead with actions to extend the Patriot Act. The original Patriot Act was passed 16 days after 9-11-2001, it has come under fire from activist groups and elected leaders. We see after yesterdays vote, not enough elected leaders were against it. This means that Democratic officials, voted for it also. The extension was pass and it will never sunset, but will be looked at in ten years. [In my view, that will be to late]
Here again we must keep our eyes open, and not let them strip our rights. The debate yesterday was reported to be just that, but on the expansion, not extension of the act, and not voted on. If you remember, the first vote on the act was done in the wee hours of the morning, and the second set of revisions, or Patriot Act II, were signed on the day we supposedly pulled Saddam out of the hole, with all that US currency. Of course who could forget the passing of, The Patriot Act III under the name, The Intelligence Reform Act in December of last year,during a lame duck session.
But it's not all bad news,the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill that goes significantly further in modifying the Patriot Act. It would require greater oversight of the Justice Department and would place new restrictions on secret searches and surveillance in terrorism probes. [One question though, who will ride shotgun overseeing this?]
"We have a duty to protect the American people from terrorism, but also to protect law-abiding American citizens from unaccountable and unchallengeable government power over their personal lives, their personal records and their thoughts," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who said she hopes "an improved bill" will come back to the House after negotiations with the Senate.
The bill passed 257 to 17, so what this means is that we need to find out, who voted how, and who didn't vote.
A separate bill approved by the Senate intelligence committee in June would make all provisions of the law permanent and give the FBI additional power to issue subpoenas without the approval of a judge. Whatever the Senate passes will have to be reconciled with the House version approved yesterday.
Although 16 provisions of the Patriot Act are set to expire, most of the congressional debate in recent weeks has focused on a few controversial sections. They include one allowing the FBI to seize records from financial companies, libraries, doctors' offices and other businesses in terrorism investigations, and another that permits "roving wiretaps" that apply to a person rather than a particular telephone.
This should tell you that something is wrong, Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) said in a statement issued before last night's vote: "We can never forget -- and indeed, the news never lets us forget -- the threats we face in this dangerous world. . . . With this vote, all members, from both sides of the aisle, will have an opportunity to show the American people how seriously they take the ongoing threat of terrorism and how they intend to combat it."
The comments from GOP leaders, combined with rejection of amendments sponsored by Democrats, provoked howls from Democrats who said they support most of the law but are concerned about the civil liberties implications of a few provisions.
So kids what have we learned here? What I have learned is, that the democrats that voted for these bill need to be made to fined work in the public sector, and so should all of the republicans. Oh yea, and that Tom Delay is just an idiot.
ABA607
ps. This is my thoughts on a article on,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/21/AR2005072102338.html?referrer=email&
amp;referrer=email