Will Ed Royce Renew the Awful Patriot Act?
Of course he will. He’s already re-authorized the original bill twice and voted to make it permanent. Why should we think he won’t join the majority of Dems and ‘Pugs to renew some of the law’s more controversial provisions in the coming days?
The Patriot Act was created in the rabid aftermath of 9/11 and passed by a broad coalition of legislators who never even read the bill. It granted federal law enforcement bureaucracies a new range of surveillance powers previously considered unconstitutional by anyone who bothered to read the Fourth Amendment.
Warrantless wiretaps, secret court orders, and immediate access to the Internet history, emails, medical records, public library records and school records of every single American are now available to any agent convinced that terrorism might take place somewhere sometime.
Not a terrorist? The definition of terrorism has been conveniently expanded to include activities previously protected by the 1st amendment, such as protests in inconvenient locations or anything else that fits the vague description of “disruptive activity.”
Lost on every foam-at-the-mouth terrorist hunter who embraces this law is one simple reality: the invasive provisions of the Patriot Act apply not only to them evil terrists, but also to every single law-abiding American citizen of the United States.
Thanks, Ed Royce, for another unchecked expansion of government power.
Like many of his war hawk Republican cohorts, Royce is a psuedo-authoritarian. If he thought there was a chance ofa terrorist in our neighborhood, he would make us all go through body scanners to leave our homes.
Body scanners? I always thought Royce was more a of a grope-down kind of guy.
Couldn’t agree more, #1. Royce is really the embodiment of the problems with the GOP today, yet he continues to hold one of the safest seats in the House. I have a hard time believing that he’s really the best we can do.
The EFF just uncovered evidence of widespread FBI intelligence abuses of the Patriot Act on Monday.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/01/eff-releases-report-detailing-fbi-intelligence
These unconstitutional and overreaching actions by law enforcement are disgusting. I wonder what Royce has to say for himself?
Where is OUR Tea Party candidate???
Need to replace any and ALL RINOS…
At the tinfoil hat store
Tea Party Candidate? Oh please!
There is a Tea Party Assemblymember who now locks step with the establishment by keeping few of carryover staffers from former Assemblyman Anthony Adams!
Pinche Repug. We need more Ron Pauls and Russ Feingolds on both sides of the aisle. Ben Franklin “give up liberty for security” would spit on us from his grave.
whoops – that was me not Cletus
Busted!
Mediocre minds think alike, on both sides of the aisle. As long as big business backs him and mindless dittoheads keep voting for him we will have this dope representing our district forever.
The Patriot Act clearly violates the 4th Amendment. I’m still waiting for any state AG to file a lawsuit against this law.
I believe I shall pester my beloved Kamala.
Voice your opinion directly to “MR ED”. Send
your greetings to his home at 1513 N. Highland Ave. Fullerton 92835. Open house cocktail party
Monday, Feb. 10, 2011 starting at 4 pm. Free
cocktails and FOOD! Got a Beef??? Bring it with you. MR. ED is infamous for his “false promises”
so don’t expect him to act on anything for you.
He’s a shmutz!
I don’t mind Patriot Act type of snooping for terrorists, if there is actual control over and harsh repurcussions for misuse of this National Defense tool.
If the US government went “fishing” or “snooping” all over every aspect of my business and personal life, and then finding no Terrorsim, documented and closed the file, sealed and unavailable for any other purpose, I would have no concern or upset at all (whether I was advised of such investigation or not).
If, on the other hand, such information-search power – was allowed to be misused, I would want and expect that everyone in the chain of command of the government agency responsible for that breech, to be charged and convicted and penalized – in public – to such an extent that such violations of trust would be one in a million type events.
The Patriot Act is designed and used to prevent terrorism and capture terrorists. If it is abused, put the violators into jail for a long time and confiscate every penny they have.
Looking at someone’s telephone or library card records is nothing compared with sending a soldier out to shoot and kill an enemy.
“If the US government went “fishing” or “snooping” all over every aspect of my business and personal life, and then finding no Terrorsim, documented and closed the file, sealed and unavailable for any other purpose, I would have no concern or upset at all (whether I was advised of such investigation or not).”
First, good luck with those government busybodies and make sure your taxes are in order. Second, see first.
It’s time to see the little corporal retire.
I’d rather be snooped by the government during war time if it thwarts terrorist attacks in our nation.
If gov’t snooping rousts out terrorist cells in our nation, then the patriot act is the safest way to fight the enemy
And how far are you willing to let them go?
“During war time” Van? Maybe you didn’t notice, but Cheney/Bush declared, and Obama hasn’t backed off, that this “war” is gonna go on for decades or generations. We’re talking about PERMANENT changes to our liberty and privacy. The government just NATURALLY can’t get enough of seeing what you and me are up to. It’s pathetic to embrace that just so that supposedly the chance of you getting hurt by a TERRIST will go down from a LITTLE LESS than the chance of getting hit by lightning to a LITTLE MORE LESS.
The islamo-fascist-terrorists exist and have attacked and killed innocent people here and all over the world in order to advance Totalitarianism. The Patriot Act and similar measures focuses on a real danger.
NEW Obama laws regulating ALL agricultural activity for crazy phony “environmentalist” purposes of “combatting Global Warming” or Obama-Communists’ taking our HUGE engine of free market patent-protected medical innovation out of free market hands and killng it in a Socialist mess to rival the ubiquitous medical breakthroughs achieved by the Communist Soviet Union, is the REAL definition of “scary legislation” and attacks on our freedom and property.
“The islamo-fascist-terrorists exist” “advance Totalitarianism.”
So you bought into that line of bullshit. What else are you in the market for?
In your very next breath you accuse Obama of….Totalitarianism! The very man you want spying on you to prevent…Totalitarianism!
Do ever actually pay attention to any of the nonsense that you spout?
Aw, Fred, we just let that guy rant. He doesn’t pay any attention to what he writes and nobody else does either.
I liked what you wrote the other day, Joe:
“That makes no sense on so many levels.”
Classic.
Al Qaeda actively seeking “dirty” bombs: documents (AFP) – 2 days ago
LONDON — Al-Qaeda is attempting to procure nuclear material and recruit rogue scientists in order to build a radioactive “dirty bomb,” leaked documents published in Wednesday’s Telegraph newspaper revealed.
The cables, released by the WikiLeaks website, showed that security chiefs told a NATO meeting in January 2009 that Al-Qaeda was planning a programme of “dirty radioactive improvised explosive devices (IEDs).”
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ivjnutcLE9o6G6tz6ZuLLeSyXOPA?docId=CNG.5a73e88b2737221ddfdd9d4ecd2a1988.361
Oooo scary. Have you let them search your house yet?
USMarshall’s are coming for Pedroza’s hard drive. Look out Art
What about Loretta Sanchez?
Loretta has voted against the Patriot Act in the past, but she probably couldn’t explain why.
“Couldn’t explain why?”
I’ve got a request in to Loretta’s office to direct me to a statement from her on this awful act; and I still contend that she’s a better and smarter lawmaker than any of you righties think (despite her tired Valley Girl shtick), and OC’s only congresscritter who cares about liberties.
I did find this – from way back in 2003, when 70% of America was in bloodlust to attack Saddam who was of course behind the 9/11 attacks. The original article is vanished off of the defunct PakistanLink.com, but fortunately a bit of it was saved on an anti-Muslim hate site, http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1582 as follows:
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, Democrat, declared in unequivocal terms: “I am opposed to the Patriot Act.” To the applause of the gathering, she remarked: “We need to work on our two Senators so that Patriot Act I is rescinded and Patriot Act II is not passed.” She enumerated the laws, values and traditions that have contributed to the just, free and vibrant American society. The trend should continue. The momentum should be sustained. Congresswoman Sanchez “saw a lot of hope” and appeared optimistic that through sustained strivings “we will be the bright light of the United States.”
I’ll let you know what I get back from her office. Might be worth its own post.
Oh BTW “Saddam responsible for 9/11 attacks” was sarcastic snark. Just realized that some people on this thread probably wouldn’t catch that.
You lost me here. Your position on the Patriot Act shows that you were not born when WWII occurred. For the safety of our troops abroad and us here at home, war time restrictions were placed on many things for the duration of the war and lifted when the war was over.
In other words, when we are at war, we must do everything we can to protect our population and our troops. The Patriot Act has already saved lives and rooted out terrorists in our midst. I want it to remain until we’ve ended the threat of terrorism. So we’re inconvenienced at airports! Your position is way too Libertarian for me. (BTW, the favorite party of the young, unless like angry little Julian Assaunge, it’s Anarchism). We need to do MORE to keep air travel safe, and identify plots against the US.
Again, Lois, this “war” will never be declared “over.” The government is enjoying itself too much.
Vern, please explain to Lois that the “War on Terror” is now three times longer than US involvement in WW II (the Big One, as Archie Bunker called it).
What Joe said, Lois.
For now you could check out Glenn Greenwald’s interview with her about her bill HR 216 limiting the government’s ability to seize your laptop or blackberry when you return to the US: http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/01/15/laptops/index.html
I wonder how Royce, Rohrabacher, Campbell, Calvert & Miller will vote on that?
Oh, Vern, Vern. How inconvenient for you and your friends. A long war?! We can end it much sooner just by canceling the Patriot Act and welcoming the Islamo-fascists into NY Harbor. Then you old libertarians can go and (giggle, giggle) smoke pot and listen to old Van Halen tapes in your rooms where mean old Dad can’t tell you anymore to turn it down.
Not pot, wine. Not Van Halen, Primus. Not Dad, but my cranky roommates. And I didn’t say a “long war” I said a forever war, because when can you be sure “terror” is defeated? Will “terror” come to the peace table and sign a treaty?
And I’m sure there are elements of the act that are important for keeping us safe and should be kept, but the great bulk of it is just government’s natural tendency to snoop on us and control us, whether Republicans OR DEMOCRATS LIKE ME are in charge.
Just heard back from Loretta’s office, she’ll have a big statement out on why she’s voting AGAIN against the act, and you can see it on the OJ.
And what is the alternative to establishing free market Democracy in the Middle East, defeating the medieval Islamic fanatics, and allowing women to add their brain power to that region?
Hey thanks, you just cheered me up by reminding me about what’s happening in Egypt – as long as we stay out of the way and don’t fuck it up.
Free market Democracy in the Middle East?
WTF are you talking about?
Lois, there’s a dude who comments here named Rain. You two should hook up!
The trouble with many perfectly intelligent, well educated men worldwide is that they secretly admire the burkha and all the male perks that go with it. I despair our country’s will to prevail in this war.
I will fight to the death to keep you out of a burqa, Lois Wade.
How come Islamic women wear burqas and the men get to wear speedos?
I mean is that weird or what?
Excellent news – 26 Republicans joined the vast majority of Democrats to defeat this monstrosity (the 9-month extension of three more egregious parts of the Patriot Act.) Apparently it needed 2/3 to pass. I did not know that. I’ll have more on the OJ, along with Loretta’s statement, come the morn.
I’m shocked that my Congressman(Campbell) voted NO…pleasantly surprised I guess. I have such low expectations for him that it’s easy for him to exceed them from time to time.
Kudos also to Dana Rohrabacher. He is known to be pretty freedom friendly and he didn’t disappoint on this issue.
Honorable mention goes to Tom McClintock, the last of the three GOP CA Congressmen to vote against this.
Good old Royce fell right in line and voted to extend it.
Interesting, Loretta and Dana together again:
Against TARP Bailout: Sanchez, Rohrabacher, Royce
Against Patriot extension: Sanchez, Rohrabacher, Campbell.
http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2011/02/patriot-act-extension-defeated-and-lorettas-statement/
I’ve never seen the photo of Ed Royce with that horrible gate crashing Salahi woman. Hilarious! I wonder if she had any idea who he was?
She thought he was the Maitre’d.