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SAFE Act to be Introduced Today

By Jeralyn, Section Legislation
Posted on Tue Apr 05, 2005 at 05:42:13 AM EST
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Hearings begin today over the renewal of various Patriot Act provisions. Rather than listening to how Attorney General Alberto Gonzales tries to defend making only small changes to the Act, I suggest you focus on the bi-partisan SAFE Act (Safety and Freedom Enhancement Act)which will be introduced today by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Larry Craig (R-Idaho.) Sen. Russ Feingold is among the co-sponsors. The ACLU reports:

The Craig-Durbin bill would address some of the most controversial Patriot Act powers, including section 213, which permits the use of "sneak and peek" delayed-notification search warrants; section 215, which gives law enforcement agents access to a wide array of personal records, including library, medical and educational records; and section 802, which redefines "domestic terrorism" so broadly that it could be used against direct action advocacy groups and individuals.

The Patriot Act was passed in haste, without hearings or adequate opportunity for review. It's now time to correct the law's deficiencies. The SAFE Act is a great beginning. As the ACLU has said, we need to fix the Patriot Act, not extend it.

More Reading:

  • You can read both sides of the debate over the provisions set to expire on Dec. 31, 2005 at Patriot Debates, sponsored by the American Bar Association.
  • The Register-Guard today has an editorial on the FBI's 'fessing up to conducting sneak and peeks at Oregon Lawyer Brandon Mayfields's home, when he was falsely suspected of being connected to the Madrid train bombings.
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    SAFE Act to be Introduced Today | 6 comments (6 topical)
    Re: SAFE Act to be Introduced Today (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 05, 2005 at 02:27:38 AM EST
    The Patriot Act was passed in haste, without hearings or adequate opportunity for review. Sounds like a functioning democracy to me. Anyone who objects to this hates freedom.

    Re: SAFE Act to be Introduced Today (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 05, 2005 at 06:07:13 AM EST
    Sounds like a functioning democracy to me. Anyone who objects to this hates freedom. Sounds like Congress failing to do its job to me. We don't employ these people to make knee-jerk reactions without engaging their brains; we're all quite capable of doing that ourselves. If expecting our representatives to care enough about their job performance to actually read the bills before they vote on them sounds like "hating freedom" to you, so be it.

    Re: SAFE Act to be Introduced Today (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 05, 2005 at 07:21:00 AM EST
    This is nothing but one more attack on the rights of people, Gonzales and bush need the show so people cannot see the facts of what this is really all about. and by the time most of you get it! many will be in prison not for any kind of terror acts but for political ideals not allowed by the rich boys/oligrchies, who need your culture of freedom dead, and you in prison for life. Organization in mass numbers can stop this outrage.

    Re: SAFE Act to be Introduced Today (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 05, 2005 at 08:05:56 AM EST
    As a Democrat in Idaho (yes, I am lonely), it is nice to see Senator Larry Craig doing something other than shilling for the right wing. Too bad his seat his uncontestable. Only scandal would bring him down and he's above reproach (just ask him).

    Re: SAFE Act to be Introduced Today (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 05, 2005 at 01:01:58 PM EST
    it's *essential* that our senators and representatives hear from constituents about letting patriot act provisions expire! you can contact them through this action alert.

    Re: SAFE Act to be Introduced Today (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 05, 2005 at 01:50:43 PM EST
    let it expire (die, die, die), back to the drawing board, now that the hysteria has subsided maybe a bill that doesn't make america "china/n.korea/russia/iran/sa etc., lite" can be formulated.

    SAFE Act to be Introduced Today | 6 comments (6 topical)