RIP USA PATRIOT Act! (or not...)

[mckitterick]

Did you know that the US Congress quietly let the USA PATRIOT Act expire last night?


Click the image to see the full description of the USA PATRIOT Act.

Freedom, it is on the spread across the whole world right now!

Now is when we dance.

Chris

Comments

[gwyndolin.livejournal.com]

Not yet, it hasn't. It only failed that one vote. The thing doesn't expire until the 28th, and they can call another vote that only requires a simple majority, rather than 2/3, and unless something changes, they have a simple majority.

Don't celebrate yet.

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

Your lede is misleading.

The Republican leadership attempted to push through the continuation of certain measures without debate. Democrats and several Tea Party Republicans voted no, which means that the bill will be put to the house and debate allowed. They still have time to approve the bill before the PATRIOT Act expires.

One thing that confuses me

[emt-hawk.livejournal.com]

is that only 8 "Tea Party" representatives voted to let it die.

So they want to keep the government in your private affairs, despite their claims.

At least reason prevailed.

--Hawk

[sdemory.livejournal.com]

Ain't over 'til it's over, alas:
Political shell games? Yes, please.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

DAMMIT!

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Damn damn damn. I read more into the story than was there. One must have hope....

[gwyndolin.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

Re: One thing that confuses me

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

I think you're being sarcastic ;-)

One hopes this truly spells the first step toward the end of this legal travesty.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Of course.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Sadly, no dancing yet. The three provisions of the PATRIOT ACT have not expired. They will expire at the end of the month unless they're extended.

And they will be extended. What happened is that the Republican leadership got sloppy, and tried to pass this using a quick procedure that needed 2/3 of the vote. They got a majority, but not the required super majority. So they'll just pass it normally in a week or two. Then the Senate will pass it, and President Obama will sign it. The vote, like far too many votes in Washington, was for show only.

Glenn Greenwald is probably best on this.

B

[jjschwabach.livejournal.com]

Letting it die a natural death is probably the best thing for it. It would have been nice if it had never been born, but it's too late for that.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Getting all excited about this only to have my hopes crushed makes it even worse. Hmph.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

We can hope!

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

And even more stunning, new Tea Party congresscritters tipped the balance. Maybe some of them have principles against government spying! That would be refreshing.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't it be awesome if the Tea Party ended up being less revolting than the Republican Party? Heck, they might end up with more spines (on this issue) than the Dems....

[roya-spirit.livejournal.com]

Quite truthfully, *some* of the Tea Party issues and views aren't all that repulsive. It's just the most vocal of them are repulsive, and socially conservative.
I'm still fairly Libertarian when it comes to less gubmint innerfearence.

[jjschwabach.livejournal.com]

Hoping is good. Visit my LJ and you will see...