Senators: Justice Department Misinterpreting Patriot Act

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/us/27patriot.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=patriot%20act&st=cse

"Two senators claimed on Thursday that the Justice Department had secretly interpreted the so-called Patriot Act in a twisted way, enabling domestic surveillance activities that many members of Congress do not understand. "

 

Nice that lawmakers wouldn't come and speak against this before the extension passed.

 

If any administration wants to watch you or surveil you, they can and will do it. It's the state of affairs in the world today, what with all the mass comuunication. And most of your dossier can and will be used in a court of law as evidence. The Times had a article Friday about Facebook's plans and several other networking groups, plus another article on a I-Wallet or somesuch that will allow payment of bills with the swipe of your "phone". Stuff like that means "your info's all out there" for good, folks.

 

I found it interesting that the bill was "signed" into law via autopen:

First time it's ever happened. Not sure it's a good precedent.

Also interesting, they relied on a 2005 memorandum by the Bush Justice Department:

 

Yes, very interesting. Very concerning as well. Somebody needs to do something.

 

Obama should have used PDFPen.

 

Obama's better than this. Right?

 

Bush tax cut ended in 2010. Just sayin......

 

Neener neener!

 

I don't get why Democrats voted for this extension. Would this have passed at such wide margins before Bin Laden's death brought terrorism to the recent forefront as a major governmental issue?

Did Obama sign it with the Robotopen so he could say later that he didn't actually sign it? Or was the extending of a piece of legislation that was seen as anathema to his party a few short years ago, something he just couldn't stomach in person?

Isn't an extension of The Patriot Act a piece of legislation that screams for a Democratic president to imply a possible veto, or at least one hell of a signing statement?

Based on the derision The Patriot Act has received over the years, I'm a little surprised opposition was so meek.

I'm sure some of our more political creatures here can educate me as to how this happened.

 

Yes, where is the outrage from your liberal brethren, Piotr?

 

Oh, you guys seem to be covering the ginned-up-outrage bases quite nicely.

In case you haven't been paying attention, the way-off-in-left-field fringe has been continually flogging Obama for all this stuff.