Senate OKs anti-terror USA Patriot Act renewal

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Friday passed a bill reauthorizing the USA Patriot Act, which gave the government new powers to hunt down suspected terrorists after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
....
Seeking to tighten provisions criticized by civil liberties groups, the Senate bill would require the federal government to report how it uses its authority to view library and medical records, one of the most controversial powers granted by the law.

"Like all compromises, it includes provisions that are not supported by everyone in this body," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat.

"However, Democratic and Republican members of the Judiciary Committee came together in a spirit of cooperation and compromise to agree on this bill, and I strongly support it," Reid said.

The Senate bill, passed without opposition, would renew for four years law enforcement's ability to go to a secret court for permission to seize suspects' records from libraries and bookstores.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/29/AR2005072901894.html

[Newsjock]

1. That says it all

The Senate bill, passed without opposition

And what, exactly, does the Democratic Party stand for anymore? Certainly not for me.

[TahitiNut]

5. It's called "one-party rule."

It's here. It's been here. :shrug:

[alarimer]

6. Not for me either

Bunch of turncoats so afraid of losing elections that they can't even oppose this HEINOUS, UNCONSTITUTIONAL law. The hell with them all.

[screembloodymurder]

29. Me either.

I'll be voting for the candidate. We need a party for the people.

[alarimer]

40. I was really angry when I wrote that

I suppose in the end I will hold my nose and vote for the DEmocrat. And some, in the House at least, opposed CAFTA and the new Patriot Act but I seriously reconsidering being registered as a Democrat.

[Somawas]

8. It's the reason I'm debating hard over whether to remain

a Democrat or to become a Green activist.

[Pachamama]

38. R U serious? Not one Dem, even Boxer, voted against it?

If this is the case, then I can honestly say that we have one-party rule and our democracy is so in name only.

One party rule, but make the minions think they have a choice....

[Erika]

2. A secret court?

To seize records from libraries and bookstores? What nation are we living in?

[mike_c]

4. in my lifetime we've gone from demonizing countries...

...with "secret courts" to running such courts ourselves. Shame on Amerika.

[xxqqqzme]

3. well, ain't that just f*cking grand!!!

Don't ya jest feel the love!

[54anickel]

7. Wonderful. Energy bill CAFTA, Patriot Act, NRA bill. They sure made

progress quickly before their little vacation time. :eyes:

[hang a left]

19. Sure did...

What was the big hurry huh? *My tinfoil antennae go up*

[54anickel]

26. Same here. Begs the question - whazzup? Add Greenspin and Snow

yammerings of late and you've got to wonder if we're closer to becoming a Banana Republic than we realize. :shrug: :tinfoilhat: :scared:

[Theres-a]

33. Something wicked this way comes

Lately my outrage fatigue has been morphing into fear.I try to fight it, I don't want the terrorists(GOP)to win.

[AuntiBush]

9. In the Meantime, "Where's Osama Bin-Ladin?"

Darn. Keep forgetting! He's now "Bin-Forgotten!" Someone smack me in the head! What was I thinking!?!

:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

[Erika]

11. I'm on the same wave length

Our liberties are being taken away while OBL runs free. OBL wanted to change our lives forever and our government gave him his goal through our loss of freedom and liberty. He runs free and we are tracked in every way possible.

Today, I am ashamed of being an American. I also hate our government for kowtowing and reducing our freedoms.

The UK got their criminals. The U.S. makes its citizens criminals or subject to criminal checks. OBL is totally free and probably LHAO at our "government".

[AuntiBush]

16. You're Not the Only One, Erika, Sadly, Sadly So!

I too am ashamed, and have been for quite sometime. I'm sorry, but I still can not bring myself to hang our flag. It's like I'd be demeaning it, if that makes any sense. And that was how I felt "long" before I became politically-minded, and political at posting like here at DU.

Never. Ever in my life have I ever felt like this. I sure most out here know where I'm coming from. Speaking of criminals, that's how I see those w/all our powers now. They've made a disgusting mockery of our country and for that, well... what left is there to say.

Good response, Erika! You hit it on the nail again.

[Erika]

21. Yes, we've lost our country

and to display our flag is to dishonor the freedom our flag once honored. It is a sad day indeed.

Many conservatives who are not Bushbots also agree.

[Erika]

10. The UK went in and caught the terrorists responsible

within days of the bombings.

We enact the Patriot Act and OBL is still running loose?

[Art_from_Ark]

14. The UK caught "suspects"

You know, like the Brazilian guy they offed in the subway station?

[marmar]

12. To quote the great philosopher Snoop Dogg...

"This is some fucked-up shit!" The un-Patriot-ic Act hasn't been used to tackle terrorism, only to go after peace groups and intimidate dissenters. Orwell's "1984" has come to life. :scared: :scared:
Will this nightmare end? Not without much louder, vocal and visible resistance. Americans have got to wake up - quickly!!!

:grr: :argh: :cry: :argh: :grr:

[blue northern]

15. America keeps hitting the snooze button.

The Patriot Act was passed within 6 weeks of Sept 11.
When did it's authors start working on it?
Why?
Who was working on it?
It seems to me this was a work in progress pre 9/11/01.



Since Americans are forfeiting more and more freedoms, does that mean "they" hate Americans for their freedoms less and less?

That's the neocon strategy, turn the USA into an authoritarian regime and spread the love. :sarcasm:

[Mass]

13. I did not know the bill had been voted

Feingold explained why he was ready to support the bill as an improvement from the current situation, even if there was some things he disagreed with.

Anyway, we need to wait for the conference report to know what will be in the bill. So dont get to excited on that one. This is NOT the important vote.

[DELUSIONAL]

17. does ANYBODY need more proof that Sen. Reid is a DINO

The guy is a jerk -- big time jerk.

Every so often he makes a tough statement -- but he is a big fat liar.

Reid has his head so far up Der bushita's ass -- that I can't tell the two apart.

[Lars39]

18. The upper house of the Italian parliament has approved new measures

Italy Approves Anti-Terror Steps


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4728873.stm

Last Updated: Friday, 29 July 2005, 15:58 GMT

Italy Approves Anti-terror Steps

The upper house of the Italian parliament has approved new measures to combat the threat of terrorist attack.

They include surveillance of the internet and phone networks and making it easier to detain suspects.

Those who hide their features from the public - including through wearing the Islamic burqa - also face punishment.

The lower house must pass the bill before it becomes law. A number of Western countries have introduced extra measures after the London bombs.

...There are growing fears that Italy could be the next target in
Europe, but Mr Pisanu said on Thursday the authorities had no specific evidence of a strike.(bolding is mine)<snip>

More @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4728873.stm

[wli]

20. five massively harmful bills in less than a week THIS HAS TO STOP

If we weren't outnumbered 1000:1 or worse by sheep, there would have been a 100 million man march on Washington years ago (probably 3 Nov 2000). What the Hell does it take to wake people up? What the Hell does it take to stop these fascists?

[Erika]

22. Bushbots looking for protection by their government

They haven't realized yet Bush isn't God nor does he replace our need to protect ourselves not only from foreign governments but by our own government.

[teryang]

23. Police state ratified n/t

[proud patriot]

24. dismayed, dissillusioned, angry, and sad

all at the same time .

passed w/o opposition means most of the Citizens
voices went unheaded . When in the course of human events
it becomes nessesary ...... :cry:

[bookman]

25. We're hunting down the terrorists...

...and OJ's looking for the "real" killers.

Where's the Osama clock?

[MrBenchley]

27. Quick, what's wrong with THIS picture?

So the Senate, on its last day
--took action against library patrons
--took action against medical privacy
--removed one of the few restrictions left on gun sellers

[cyberpj]

28. PNAC knew just what it was doing using war/terror/fear to take over USA.

No member of congress would dare to challenge anything that is there to "protect us from terrorists".

[catmandu57]

30. This and

the chimpanzee* is going to sneak bolton in on us.

[0007]

31. This is unbelievable, I'm ready to go green!

[Pachamama]

39. Next week, I'm going to go Green & I'm writing a LTTE & letters to my Reps

and to dear Dr. Dean at the DNC as to why I no longer will be writing checks to them and am now a registered Green party member.

In less than one week, they managed to pass more damaging bills than I could have ever imagined...I guess with this kind of action they will all bend over for Justice Roberts when they come back from their vacations.

I'm done...the Bank of Pachamama is now officially closed to the Dems. Next time I see Boxer (she lives in my neigborhood) I'll personally tell her too. Next time I get a solicitation for funds by letter, I'll write on it to start acting like Democrats and an opposition party.

Screw them....no more am I going to be supporting financially or emotionally a bunch of sell-outs and cowards to speak truth to power.

:grr:

[nicknameless]

32. Dianne Feinstein is a Co-Sponsor

http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:S.1389:
Check it out by clicking on "Cosponsor"

... Hating her even more than Hillary :grr:

[Joanne98]

34. Fucking bastards! We need another "traitor" Democrat list.!

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CantGetFooledAgain]

36. Hmmm. Incoherent. The initials "GB"...

...Spamming all of the "Greatest" page threads. A reference to a quote from a videogame that some teenagers got a kick out of a year or so ago.

A fascistic assertion about "Real Americans" (How do I become a real American? Does it require sodomizing children in an Iraqi prison?)

And finally, the idea that somehow, we've surrended our freedoms to the "Real Americans" . It doesn't work that way, junior.

Don't worry, in a couple of years you'll be able to enlist to fight in Iran. It's just like a video game! Awesome, dude!

[borlis]

37. Why do the dems ALWAYS compromise????

Came together in a spirit of cooperation and compromise???:puke:
The bush administration doesn't know the meaning of the word compromise. It has always been their way or no way at all.
I am sick and tired of the dems always caving in to the other side! Can't the dems ever stand up for ANYTHING without giving in??:mad:

[bribri16]

41. If a reasonable, charasmatic Independent runs in 08, he or she will

get my vote.