Wanna know why they don't filibuster, censure, or impeach...Here it is.

[autorank]

...because they support bull shit like this

Renewed Patriot Act could limit federal appeals for death row inmates
Provision allows U.S. attorney general, not federal appeals courts, to
decide if states qualify for 'fast-track' review of death penalty cases.

By Tara Copp
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, March 10, 2006

WASHINGTON —
Under the new Patriot Act that President Bush signed into law Thursday, all states can now ask the U.S. attorney general to decide whether they qualify for a "fast-track" review.

Getting fast track is based on whether a state's court-appointed defense attorneys meet a minimum competency standard. If a state qualifies, its prisoners have less time to file federal habeas petitions, and the federal judges reviewing state prisoner appeals are more limited in what they can consider.

Simple interpretation: killing people quicker based on decisions by that paragon of legal scholarship, Alberto Gonzalez.

WHO VOTED FOR THE PATRIOT ACT WITH THIS EFFICIENT EXECUTION EXCLUSIVE!!!

Here they are (of course, they can always fall back on the old excuse, "We don't read the damn bills, we just vote on them.")

... but WAIT, there's an easier way, I'll just list the NO votes...see if your Senator made the cut...

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 109th Congress - 2nd Session

Vote Summary
Yeas 89 Nays 10

The Honor Role. These Senators voted =>NO<= on the Patriot Act
Death Efficiency Legislation

Akaka (D-HI)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Byrd (D-WV)
Feingold (D-WI)
Harkin (D-IA)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Murray (D-WA)
Wyden (D-OR)

If your senator is NOT listed here, he/she stands with Bush under
the new banner: "Messengers of Death"

I've had enough of the bull shit.

The YEAS voted for more "efficient" death, you know, the type that comes when
prisoners have pesky appeals because:

- their LAWYERS WERE SNORING WHILE THE CASE WAS TRIED, or

- there was DNA material but no test, or

- because NEW and EXCULPATORY EVIDENCE was discovered after the deadline (as
though this means you must die).

This is barbarism. Those who support it are barbarous.

Read the Bible Senators, read the Torah, read any sacred text just about,
killing people is unacceptable, endorsing the killing of innocents is blasphemy.

Then of course, we have the Constitution...but Congress and SCOTUS abandoned
that heroic statement of humanism long, long ago.

It's just the blood thirsty animals left now. Don't expect much from the 89 who
think that we're just not killing people fast enough.

NEW LEADERS FOR A NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Inspired by Clara T's post...

[unschooler]

1. Thanks. Good to know where Hillary stands....

And I'm likin' that Ronnie Wyden from Oregon better and better....

[cantstandbush]

39. This what R. Ginsberg (SCOTUS) meant about Congressional attack

on the Courts. The Republicans support a President who attacks and undermines our Constitution and a Congress that attacks and undermines our courts. This is why Republicans in control of any branch of governemtn is dangerous for our country. People need to understand this and vote them out and vote some REAL Democracts into office. We need to vote the DINOs out also.

[Major Hogwash]

2. Do we leave the country now or what?

Because there is no way in hell the Patriot Act is Patriotic.

I know a lot of people who have stopped posting on-line because of this 1 piece of crap of legislation.

[autorank]

3. Well, at least we're not executed for posting.

We are so far through the looking glass, it's not even strange anymore.

The absurd is normal, the insane sane, the unacceptable by any standards "Patriotic."

They make Gonzalezes authority RETROACTIVE...priceless, pathetic, putrid...

[luckyleftyme2]

4. no but your probably investigated

I WONDER WHAT LIST I MAKE EVERY TIME I POST IN A FORUM. THEY BROUGHT US UP TO FEAR THE GESTAPO,THEN
THE RUSSIAN SECRET POLICE. AND NOW WE CAN FEAR OUR OWN GOVERMENT( IN THE NAME OF THE PATRIOT ACT)
I FEAR THERE IS SOMETHING DRASTICALY WRONG IN WASHINTON! AM I ALONE??????

[autorank]

13. "drastically" is an understatement. This is ghoulish and people barely

notice. As a society,we've lost the capacity for outrage.

They go in, write, debate (sic), and vote for stuff like this and then return to their
lovely privileged lives without a thought that they just voted to kill people more
efficiently.

That's all this is...

Senator: Hi honey, I'm home.
Spouse: Well hey there handsome/beautiful. What did you do for your country today.
Senator: I did some good work. We figured out how to clear the back log of
executions. Seems there were a lot of people waiting for the big day.
Spouse: Really, how did you do that.
Senator: We wrote "The Killing Efficiency Act" right into the Patriot Act. Whats for dinner?
Spouse: Well, we're eating natural tonight, kind to the system you know. Some beef from
While Foods and Fries in Canola oil.
Senator: I don't know what I'd do without you. You really care so much for me.

[xkenx]

26. Nazi Germany parallels

First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out.
Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out.
And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me."

Martin Niemoller

(Niemoller was a German church leader and fervent nationalist who supported Hitler until Hitler came after HIS church. He wound up in the camps)

[autorank]

34. Perfect! n/t

[SushiFan]

8. This is a Chimp America. Dems topsy turvy too? You bet - nt

[Raksha]

5. I'm disappointed Kerry's name isn't on your short list.

And what about Barbara Boxer? That's a really short list...very disappointing.

[sendero]

Being a Dem..

.... means never having to say you're not dissapointed.

[autorank]

12. Wel, there's a line to use. "The Killing Efficiency Act" would be a

good title for this one.

Amazing. They kill people faster and make it retroactive, thus violating habeas corpus.

Priceless.

[cali]

6. Thanks for posting this

I agree that it's deplorable, and although both my Senator's voted against it, I don't think that many of those who voted for it are necessarily supportive of it.

[autorank]

21. I'd like to think that. not "necessarily supportive of it."

But then I think, they voted for it. How many passes do they get?

We're not killing people fas enough when speed is the surest way to ensure
that we kill some innocent people (aside from the overall arguments against
the death penalty which I go back and forth on).

They are accountable for the consequences of their votes. They should read
and analyze this stuff.

It's time to presume malicious intent for any legislation coming from the WH or
the Republicans.

[blm]

35. Patriot Act can be retooled by the next Dem president in 3yrs.

It's not the same as the Supreme Court votes.

Remember last fall when most of the Senate voted FOR a revised version of the Patriot Act, including Feingold? Those changes will be made when they have the bully pulpit to make those changes. No doubt about it.

A number of senators already sent in an amendment to the Patriot Act the week after it passed.



The Supreme Court is another story. What happens there lasts for generations.

[reprehensor]

7. Great.

What a pathetic showing.

Feingold tried.

[autorank]

14. I like Feingold beter every single day!!! n/t

[autorank]

22. Voting NO on "The Patriot Act, 2001"

NAYs ---1
Feingold (D-WI)

YEAS ---EVERYBODY ELSE (except Landrieu who was absent)

Nice way to start the weekend;)

[Clark2008]

9. Considering my senators are Frist and Alexander (R-Insane)

I already KNEW they stood with the Messengers of Death.

[ProSense]

10. A bill was introduced to amend the Patriot Act

109th CONGRESS

2d Session

S . 2369
To require a more reasonable period for delayed-notice search warrants, to provide enhanced judicial review of FISA orders and national security letters, to require an enhanced factual basis for a FISA order, and to create national security letter sunset provisions.


IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 6, 2006
Mr. SPECTER (for himself, Mr. LEAHY, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mr. SUNUNU, Mr. FEINGOLD, Mr. CRAIG, Mr. HAGEL, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. SALAZAR, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. OBAMA, and Mr. KERRY) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


A BILL
To require a more reasonable period for delayed-notice search warrants, to provide enhanced judicial review of FISA orders and national security letters, to require an enhanced factual basis for a FISA order, and to create national security letter sunset provisions.


Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. LIMITATION ON REASONABLE PERIOD FOR DELAY.

Section 3103a(b)(3) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking `30 days' and inserting `7 days'.

SEC. 2. JUDICIAL REVIEW OF FISA ORDERS AND NATIONAL SECURITY LETTERS.

(a) FISA- Subsection (f)(2) of section 501 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1861) is amended

(1) in subparagraph (A)(i)--

(A) by striking `a production order' and inserting `a production order or nondisclosure order'; and

(B) by striking `Not less than 1 year' and all that follows through the end of the clause;

(2) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking `production order or nondisclosure'; and

(3) in subparagraph (C), by striking clause (ii) and redesignating clause (iii) as clause (ii).

(b) Judicial Review of National Security Letters- Section 3511(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in paragraph (2), by striking `If, at the time of the petition,' and all that follows through the end of the paragraph; and

(2) in paragraph (3), by striking `If the recertification that disclosure may' and all that follows through `made in bad faith.'.

SEC. 3. FACTUAL BASIS FOR REQUESTED ORDER.

Section 501(b)(2)(A) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1861(b)(2)(A)) is amended to read as follows:

`(A) a statement of facts showing that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the records or other things sought--

`(i) are relevant to an authorized investigation (other than a threat assessment) conducted in accordance with subsection (a)(2) to obtain foreign intelligence information not concerning a United States person or to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities; and

`(ii) either--

`(I) pertain to a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power;

`(II) are relevant to the activities of a suspected agent of a foreign power who is the subject of such authorized investigation; or

`(III) pertain to an individual in contact with, or known to, a suspected agent of a foreign power; and'.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL SECURITY LETTER SUNSET.

Section 102 of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 (H.R. 3199, 109th Congress, 2d Session) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(c) Other Sunsets-

`(1) IN GENERAL- Effective December 31, 2009, the following provisions are amended so that they read as they read on February 27, 2006:

`(A) Section 2709 of title 18, United States Code.

`(B) Sections 626 and 627 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681u, 1681v).

`(C) Section 1114 of the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3414).

`(D) Section 802 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 436).

`(2) EXCEPTION- With respect to any particular foreign intelligence investigation that began before the date on which the provisions referred to in paragraph (1) cease to have effect, or with respect to any particular offense or potential offense that began or occurred before the date on which such provisions cease to have effect, such provisions shall continue in effect.'.

SEC. 5. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

Amendments to provisions of law made by this Act are to such provisions, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 (H.R. 3199, 109th Congress, 2d Session) and by the USA PATRIOT Act Additional Reauthorizing Amendments Act of 2006 (S . 2271, 109th Congress, 2d Session).

[Hissyspit]

11. kick

[understandinglife]

15. Thank you.

Vote # 5.


Be The Bu$h Opposition - 24/7

[IndyOp]

16. Important note: The Am public is souring on capital punishment

as the 'leaders' are enacting legislation that extremely 'pro-death penalty' --

My take that the Am public is souring on capital punishment comes from an interview with Sister Helen Prejean - to which I cannot link. But for those interested, her book The Death of Innocents is powerful.
[br />

[autorank]

23. Randomly select 100 Citizens & You'd Have a Better Senate than this one.

I'm confident that this is a correct statement.

Randomly select the 435 Americans to serve in the House and you'd have a better House than the current one.

I bet they wouldn't even form parties.

They'd sit down, review the evidence, deliberate and make a decision. It happens all around the country with smaller selections 10-12 for jury duty.

With the random selection, you would get people who would actually listen and discuss legislation. They'd be so concerned that they'd make a mistake, they would be very careful.

Give them a bit to study the Constitution and some procedural matters, and we'd be in business
and have a better set of laws.

Random selection from a large population, the hope of democracy;)

[IndyOp]

25. What a novel, novel intriguing idea -- like jury duty only with

better pay. The people who would actually leave their homes and jobs and move to DC for 4 years when they were called to serve would be a good group of people.

:-)

[katinmn]

17. Do you ever feel that the government views citizens as the enemy?

I certainly do. More and more every day.

[mom cat]

18. I do not see Kerry, Kennedy, Clinton or Feinstein there. I am very

dissapionted because the first two are my senators and aer the ones most often accuser of being far out liberals.

[fooj]

29. Boxer is MIA, as well.

:mad:

What the hell is wrong with these people?

Peace.

[Amaryllis]

19. k and r

[MadMaddie]

20. Murray from Washington has some backbone....

She usually flys low under the radar....but she is always there...

Murray (D-WA)

[autorank]

24. Great day for her and the other nine. You're right. n/t

[rman]

27. "Death Efficiency Legislation"

uhm, uh..

[bleever]

28. To be fair, Gonzales does have a lot of experience.

mishandling death penalty cases.

[autorank]

32. If anyone can do it, he can! He's the cheerful accomplice for *

Went right up to the Hill and said we're tapping your phone and you better get used to it because we like it and we're not stopping. Just like that.
:sarcasm:

Now he's going to be the ultimate "Messenger of Death." "Move along folks, we've got prisoners to kill. Oh, your attorney was tripping during the trial. Wow, that's too bad, now move along, we're going to 'run the trains on time.'"

He'll learn and grow in the job.

[FogerRox]

30. good un dude-- Knr

[Clarkie1]

31. I'm disappointed Boxer did not vote no. n/t

[autorank]

33. I'd like to see Clark weigh in on this one, if he hasn't already.

I think that he and Gore are the only intellectually facile and capable of the possible candidates.

It takes someone smart to run a village.

[Clarkie1]

41. Well, here's something he said awhile ago about this continuing travesty.

Q: The president is urging Congress to grant him wider powers to wage war on terrorism at home.

Clark: Come on, give us a break. The Patriot Act, all 1,200 pages of it, was passed without any serious congressional discussion. There was no public accountability, and now he wants more? What does he think this country is? We shouldn't do anything with the Patriot Act until it's unwrapped. I'd like to see what violations of privacy it entails, and whether those violations are in any way justified by their preventing terrorism in this country. And we need to do it now before we take another step forward and pay for that.

Q: Is it disloyal for a retired general to criticize the president during a time of war?

Clark: Look, I'm not going to let Tom DeLay or Dick Cheney or those guys who've never served in uniform take away from the right of men and women who served honorably in this country's armed forces to criticize policy. If soldiers' lives are at stake, the time to criticize the policy is now, not when it's over. I think the height of patriotism is to speak out. Even in wartime in a democracy, you need a democracy. You need people with the courage to stand up and voice their opposition without being labeled unpatriotic. I've always thought that the height of loyalty is to ask questions and help sort things out.

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937568/is_wesley_clark_the_one

note: text is from the end of the interview

Edit: In summary....Wes Clark: all patriot, no act!

[autorank]

44. Thanks!

"Look, I'm not going to let Tom DeLay or Dick Cheney or those guys who've never served in uniform take away from the right of men and women who served honorably in this country's armed forces to criticize policy. If soldiers' lives are at stake, the time to criticize the policy is now, not when it's over."

I'm a Clark fan, this is just terrific. I had not seen the Rolling Stone interview.

Wish we could re-do 2004 with him in the drivers seat.

[Clara T]

36. Appalling to say the least

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/usinterventionism.html

[Auntie Bush]

37. I see VT is is good standing. n/t

[autorank]

38. Really, more of those "VT Values" ... which are pretty damn outstanding.

You must be proud of your state from top to bottom. Amazing.

[radio4progressives]

40. k&r Keep this high on the radar..

:applause:

[sagesnow]

42. My Man Harkin done Good!

Yeah Harkin-- He usually does the right thing.

[DrZeeLit]

43. Bravo VT -- both senators on the forefront! I'm so proud!!!!

And I'm sort of nervous.
Not much, but a little.
Bernie Sanders is running for Jefford's open spot. I'm sure some major Cha-Ching $$$ will be flowing into the state, despite the laws we have about campaign financing (which are currently being raked over the coals by the Supremes).
I think Bernie will win.
It's the House seat he's giving up that makes me nervous. The Repubs are running a woman -- the head of the VT Guard. She has no legislative experience, but she has been on the news big time since the war started. I have yet to hear a peep from the strongest Dem candidate.

Still, we are very proud of our state and our Senators, plus our Represenative.
I'm proud to be a Vermonter!

[Major Hogwash]

45. Reid even voted for this?

I thought we were supposed to be the opposition party.

Where's the opposition?

Who was the Senator that didn't vote on it?

[KoKo]

46. Absolutely.....and agree....and check out my Avatar........n/t

[Independent_Liberal]

47. Thanks autorank!

"NEW LEADERS FOR A NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY"

Exactly what we need.

[autorank]

48. Thank you;) n/t