Urgent: Focus - Patriot Act II Hits floor vote on Thursday

[lala_rawraw]

Okay kids, this bunch in the WH is keeping us jumping from one foot to another. The nomination, the investigation, the war, DSM is all ONE story and people need to remember that. But that is a whole other discussion.

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The really much more urgent issue right now is that Patriot Act II goes to a floor vote this Thursday in the House. While I am doing my best to try to write about it in time (I was sidetracked with war/dsm/treason-gate), it may not happen.

So I ask all of you to consider the full PAII, but given our limited time, please note what I feel are the most immediate threats to our rights as citizens of this country. This is by no means the full PAII nor is it even a full list of the most urgent issues/legislation. I am slowly working through the markup, but thus far, the below is contentious enough and I needed to post it, again, given our limited time.

What you need to know (as it was explained and the way I understand it):

1). The legislation approved by the Committee would make permanent all of the sunset provisions of the PATRIOT Act, save Section 206, concerning John Doe Roving Wiretaps, and Section 215, concerning foreign intelligence orders for any tangible thing, which are renewed for 10 years each.

the word PERMANENT should make you nervous

2). It also makes permanent the material support and lone wolf authorities created in the intelligence reform bill last fall.

speaks for itself

3). Lungren amendment was accepted that created an annual reporting requirement on Section 212, which immunizes private companies for their voluntary disclosures of electronic information to law enforcement in emergency situation.

Pardon me and WTF?

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This is what I understand thus far. Give me time to pour over this. Makes me wish I went to law school. Also, pardon my outbursts in between.

Those are the ones that need to be addressed ASAP and before Thursday. In other words, you have a little over 30 hours to make yourselves heard.

Thanks much (the Real ID and PA legislation are near and dear to my heart... sorry to keep pushing this)

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. This may be the real reason the nomination was moved up . . . nt

[leesa]

2. It will pass without any difficulty or discussion at all.

[lala_rawraw]

3. Well I for one

Am glad to see the amount of interest in this topic that it deserves. Glad we got that all cleared up.

[theHandpuppet]

4. I called Senator Rockefeller's office today

C'mon folks, get on the horn and speak up, respectfully but passionately!! (BTW, the folks at Rockefeller's office are cool -- in a good way.)

[lala_rawraw]

5. Wow, this just makes me

Want to put my head into a wall... this is not like legislation for the best cheerleading dances in town... this is the Patriot Act, hellooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo????? Oh well, at least you and I give a crap. I suppose we will be singing in tune and together on our way to Gitmo for caring enough to be heard. Let's dress in identical Prada prison garb, if possible.

[theHandpuppet]

6. Kicking for the morning crew

This is important, folks. Make your voices heard!