Obama Expanding the Patriot Act!
By debrakcarey
@debrakcarey (19887)
United States
October 22, 2009 10:09am CST
Ok...you guys voted in this man cause you hated Bush and claim he was the one to begin taking away our liberties....and Obama keeps saying how he has to clean up the mess left for him by Bush...so what's up with this?
The Obama administration is urging lawmakers to extend three provisions of the controversial domestic surveillance law known as the USA Patriot Act.
The U.S. Justice Department issued a letter Tuesday asking Congress to renew provisions of the law that allow authorities to conduct roving electronic eavesdropping, or wiretaps, access business records and track so-called "lone wolf" suspects with no known links to foreign powers or terrorist groups.
The roving wiretaps would let agents track the communications of suspects who change their cell phones or other devices.
The provisions are due to expire on December 31.
Some lawmakers and civil libertarians have criticized the provisions, saying they infringe on Americans' right to privacy. The Justice Department says the administration is willing to consider stronger privacy protections as long as they do not "undermine the effectiveness" of the provisions.
Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from the northeastern state of Vermont, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, says it is important for the administration and Congress to work to protect both national security and civil liberties.
SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THEY BOTH HAVE THE SAME AGENDA, TO TAKE AWAY EVER RESEMBLANCE OF LIBERTY ENJOYED BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!
6 responses
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
22 Oct 09
Despite his claims to the contrary during the campaign, Comrade 0bama is pretty much a continuation of the Bush years.
He said what needed to be said in order to win... now he is doing what he intended all along.
I is laffing at the silly liberals...
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
22 Oct 09
I am not laughing. This is serious and effect us all. Wether we voted for Obama or not. This has got to be stopped.
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
23 Oct 09
Start by ending the FED.
Then at least we again control our money.
Then we have to hold our elected ones accountable and answerable to the people and make our government afraid of us again.
Only then can we get back what we have lost.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
22 Oct 09
I am all for it being stopped, any recommendations or suggestions?
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
22 Oct 09
...."allow authorities to conduct roving electronic eavesdropping, or wiretaps, access business records and track" ... are these not he same type of dirty tricks that cause impeachment allegations against Nixon?
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
22 Oct 09
yep you would be right about that. Illegal for Nixon but not for Obama?
Someone please explain that one to me.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
22 Oct 09
There is no explanation...that doesn't involve impeachment. Just like we impeached Nixon. I hear people my age who went through that emotional time...and it WAS very emotional for the American people...but they were saying when Clinton's impeachment came up..that we should let Clinton's lie pass just to spare the American people the emotion and shame of an impeachment process. I disagree, I raised five kids...and it would break my heart each time I had to discipline them for having made a wrong choice, and when they got older...to watch them suffer the consequences of their wrong choices...but that is a very necessary thing to go through to reach maturity. I say, the American people can take it...and come out stronger for it!
@DavidReedy (2378)
• United States
23 Oct 09
I wonder how many, if any, self-described libs will begin to wake up--or I wonder if it's more of the same, "it's okay if our guy does it"? b.s.?
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
23 Oct 09
There's a few of them that think this way still....I keep reminding them that Bush is in TEXAS and Obama is in the WHITE HOUSE...one in particular just won't listen.
@jonesy123 (3948)
• United States
22 Oct 09
Well, you know, he made a lot of promises and accomplished little to nothing. In fact, the devil in me thinks he'll need this for his 'enemy list'. He needs a way to keep track of them...
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
22 Oct 09
And why bother having an enemies list if you don't plan on pay back? That is what bothers me...it is human nature to make someone or something PAY for perceived wrongs. And being the narsissist that he is....that could be very dangerous.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
22 Oct 09
This was one of the things I like about Obama (one of the few). He said he was going to get rid of the patriot act. But like so much he said on the campaign trail he lied. NOw is going to not only NOT get rid of it but expand it.
The dems said voting for McCain was like voting for Bush all over again and that McCain was just going to be like a third term for Bush....well Obama has definately fit that bill. So I guess either way we were going to get an continuance of the Bush years.
People need to fight this. It will have to come up for a vote in congress. We need to swamp our elected officials with phone calls and faxes telling them NOT to vote for it if they want to keep their job when they come up for re-election.
It may also come down to massive protests. We have a chance here to fight and stop it. We need to take that chance.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
22 Oct 09
There is so MUCH legislation that needs to be addressed. I'm swamped just sending emails to my Congresswoman's office....lol. BUT you are exactly right...we need to let them know that we take our rights seriously. In a way, it's our fault collectively for NOT doing so in the recent past. For most of this to have snuck in little by little means that we have trusted our elected officals for far to long.
My advice is to go to the government's website that lists pending legislation, research the key components of that legislation from BOTH perspectives...and let our Congress know how we feel about it. At least all those congressional aides will earn their wages if we do swamp them with emails. And they will get the message that the America voters are keeping a watch on them.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
22 Oct 09
I am part of group....between all of us we can keep up with what is going on with all the legislation and needs to be done.
But you are right. There are sooo many pieces of legislation that need to be fought that it takes up a lot of my time too.
But this is a BIG ONE. We have to show them not only do we not want the patriot act expanded....but we DEMAND that the orginal patriot act be repealed completely.
I think in order for that happen we are going to need massive protests.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
23 Oct 09
"If voting changed anything they would make it illegal." Very good observation, I have been saying 'if' we have another election, since joining here on myLot. Thanks for the insight...I agree totally.
