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Senate Approves Measure to Make Patriot Act Permanent

The ACLU says it could have been worse.

The New York Times reports:

The bill approved Friday by the Senate makes permanent 14 of the 16 antiterrorism provisions of the Patriot Act that were set to expire at the end of the year. The two remaining sections - particularly controversial provisions that allow the government to conduct roving wiretaps and to demand records from institutions like libraries - are to expire in four years unless Congress acts to reauthorize them.

The legislation also puts in place several new restrictions on the government's powers, including a higher standard of proof for the government in demanding library and business records, greater judicial oversight and increased reporting to Congress on antiterrorism operations, time restrictions on the use of secret searches, and limits on roving wiretaps. Civil rights advocates saw the new limits as welcome steps.

Timothy Edgar, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, said: "We think this is a positive step and puts in place significant restrictions over the current law. It doesn't fully safeguard constitutional freedoms, but it's a significant improvement."

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    I'm sorry, can any enumerate how many people have had their civil rights curtailed by the PA? Probably about the same number killed by Assault Rifles since the so-called ban sunsetted. FYI, AIM firearms ahs some nice Yugo SKS's from teh 60's for sale for under $100. And you get a liberal scaring bayonet built in! _C

    Re: Senate Approves Measure to Make Patriot Act Pe (none / 0) (#2)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:45 PM EST
    this evil patriot act will be used against the people;in the end be used to put you and your kids in prison for talking out against this evil and insane government, the camps are coming and you can't see it. by the way where is bin laden? why are our borders still opened to all the world's people?...ask why, and buy guns for the coming Government mass murder of the people here, by the way, people, bin laden was made to order by the real power of this land. and the power is not god or you or the laws of right and wrong but the laws of the Bush business.

    Re: Senate Approves Measure to Make Patriot Act Pe (none / 0) (#3)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:45 PM EST
    Read tom paine Common Sense and ask why.

    Re: Senate Approves Measure to Make Patriot Act Pe (none / 0) (#4)
    by Johnny on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:45 PM EST
    No troll cookie for ya Cliff. When the state takes away freedoms, they rarely return them. The word permanent with regards to our gov't is frightening. Also Cliff, under this patriot act, we do not know if our rights have been trampled, they don't have to tell us. The word terror shows up on this board quite a bit-think we have not been monitored?

    Re: Senate Approves Measure to Make Patriot Act Pe (none / 0) (#5)
    by MikeDitto on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:45 PM EST
    It's already been used in several cases unrelated to terrorism across the country, including the investigation into some alleged kickback shenanigans concerning a Las Vegas strip club owner and a city councilman.

    FYI, AIM firearms ahs some nice Yugo SKS's from teh 60's for sale for under $100. And you get a liberal scaring bayonet built in!
    Personally, I'd rather opt for one of those shiny new .50 caliber desert eagles that just became legal, with a nice conservative scaring silencer built in for good measure, but that's just me...a gun owning liberal.

    Fenria,

    One of those 50 cal.s would be nice, but how many of us have $5000 to spend, so I'll opt for the good old saturday night special with the duct tape grip and filed serial number. One of the freedoms left by the patriot act, the freedom to buy off the street, as long as you don't get caught. :)

    cliff,

    I hope you're not disappointed, but plenty of libs and leftist like guns too.

    "...plenty of libs and leftists like guns too."

    This is very true, and where do the wingnuts get the idea that it isn't?

    Growing up in a military, and hunting, family of leftists, I can attest to that. We all had to learn gun safety in my house.