Kucinich leads move in Congress to curb controversial Patriot Act

Plain Dealer Bureau

Washington- A group of congressmen led by Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich want to scale back broad federal surveillance powers granted to law enforcement after the Sept. 11 attacks.

They introduced a bill yesterday to repeal parts of the controversial Patriot Act that allow secret searches and wiretaps as well as detaining suspects indefinitely without meaningful judicial review, and that broaden the definition of what constitutes a terrorist group.

Kucinich's bill also would overturn laws that require airport screeners to be U.S. citizens, repeal Justice and Homeland Security department exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act and toss out a law that lets the FBI conduct undercover investigations of religious centers. --

"The real threat to our nation currently comes from within, when we begin taking away the very civil rights and civil liberty protections that made us great," said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP's Washington bureau. --

Once again, taking the fight for our rights further than just "soundbites" to pragmatic action meant to facilitate change.

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

:bounce:

He cares so much for this country, and works his whatsis off.

From your article:

(snip) Supporters of Kucinich's bill said more than 150 local governments, including city officials in Oberlin and Oxford, Ohio, and the legislatures of Vermont, Alaska and Hawaii, have passed measures to condemn the Patriot Act.

Kucinich tried to out-patriot the Patriot Act's supporters by calling his measure the "Benjamin Franklin True Patriot Act."

Its text begins with a quote it attributes to Franklin: "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." (snip/...)

What you don't knock out now, I'll be there in 2005 by your side to help you crush the rest of this bill!!!!!

A true patriot for these times. A standing ovation for him and for Senator Byrd, whom I have forgiven for his prior racism.

He never stops doing his job to be out on the campaign trail. This is a real servant of the people, not a seeker of fame and position. How could anyone not think he would be the best president we have ever had?

This is our liberties and freedoms our forefathers fought so hard to preserve! :bounce:

<But groups including the NAACP and the American Civil Liberties Union say the Patriot Act gives law enforcement unconstitutional powers that threaten civil liberties. They endorsed Kucinich's bill yesterday, along with 18 Democrats and one Republican member of Congress.

"The real threat to our nation currently comes from within, when we begin taking away the very civil rights and civil liberty protections that made us great," said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP's Washington bureau.>

Go Cong. Dennis Kucinich! You are the only one that really can and will make a difference! He has pledged to REVOKE the Patriot Act once he gets into office as our NEXT PRESIDENT!!!! :D

and yes, he is there DOING HIS JOB - not on some money grubbing campaign trail selling hotdogs for $2,000.00 a pop! Where were you Sens. Lieberman, Kerry, and Graham when it came to voting against those mini-nukes that were approved last week? On the freakin' campaign trail sniffing down the mighty $$$$$$!



Dennis J. Kucinich for President in 2004! The only REAL choice for OUR AMERICA!!!

:kick:

Stay in this race and give 'em hell! :thumbsup:

He's actually fighting for the common man and woman.

He isn't toeing the party line...

He isn't an insider...

I wish the Democratic Party had the courage to nominate him, but this "two party" system of ours looks like different shades of gray to me.

Kucinich can win, if we say he can.

He is the best candidate, all of us know this. It is WE that are jaded into thinking the system is so corrupt that the best cannot win.

And Kucinich is the best solution to our problems. Deep down we know this to be true.

Those of us who want significant change in the world are the majority. If we all got up and said yes! for Dennis we can sweep this election. Unelectable! Humphhhh!

for the common woman and man to start fighting for Dennis, once they realize he is fighting for them.

Wow... maybe THIS is my guy... ? :)

If only the national media would report on what he's about.

I love Dennis, he is an awesome Representative of the people. And I would agree with an earlier post about how sad our elective system works that someone like Dennis who really represents the voice of the people, isn't getting the respect he deserves. We vote for the lesser of evils these days rather than who we really want.


Benjamin Franklin True Patriot Act, great name, Dennis. This is a smart move. Use that marketing ploy back at them.

Sonia

but God, I love this man for his courage. If only our citizenry were composed of real adults and not children wanting to play war...sigh.

i would donate more money to dennis. but after the first i will have just enough money for bills and the essentials.

food dennis. food dennis. food dennis. argh!!! why is life so hard?!?!

I don't have a lot of $$ either. I've donated $100 I had saved up and I've been asking friends and family to donate to Dennis. I encourage everyone who supports DK to do the same.

Of course I'd like to see DK win the nomination and be given more of a public forum for his ideas. He can be a passionate speaker. At this point, however, I'm just wanting to make my voice heard THROUGH him--as he comes closer than anyone to expressing my own vision of what needs to happen in this country. Centrist politics does not express my political views. I want reforms, major reforms, that will return more power to the ordinary citizen.

I believe even if DK is not selected as the Democratic nomination, it is important for those of us who feel strongly about the positions he represent to support him as much as we can. Important for these ideas to get as much play in the market place of ideas as possible.

about politics for the first time since McGovern. Finally someone honest and hardworking for the people. Go Dennis. The people support you.

Wonder who the other Congressmen are who are co-sponsoring it.

this (it got moved there from LBN because it was from a press release and the mods have discretion on moving those) and look for goobergunch's post of the bill contents. The other sponsors are all named at the beginning of the bill. Sheila Jackson-Lee is one of them that I remember.

Write and/or call your rep and ask them to sponsor it, too!

Don't stop fighting!

That's how we're supposed to answer Ashcroft.