TODAY: Senate Intelligence Committee in SECRET Patriot Act Mark-Up

HEADS-UP

snip

Senate Committee to Review Controversial Patriot Act Legislation in Secret; Draft Legislation Hidden from Public

May 17, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Media@dcaclu.org

WASHINGTON – The Senate Intelligence Committee announced today that it is rushing forward with a markup of Patriot Act reauthorization legislation Thursday, but that the session will be behind closed doors.

Some of the most extreme parts of the Patriot Act are set to sunset, or expire, at the end of this year unless Congress reauthorizes them. When lawmakers passed the Patriot Act just 45 days after 9/11, they included these sunsets because they knew that some provisions shouldn’t be made permanent. The committee will be reviewing legislation involving the sunsets and other key parts of the Patriot Act that impact civil liberties.

Read More:
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=18256&c=206

why hide behind closed doors to talk about it?

Lately, things are so freaky out-of-hand, and beyond reason, is it possible that some are "maybe" and I stress "maybe" doing something different!?! Something good?

Or, is it so bad it is what all of us seem to see it as?

Freaky times. Honestly!

of course. We don't even have to worry our little heads about it. They are simply protecting us from terror.





















:sarcasm:

Just go back and watch American Idol we'll take care of everything.

this from the bottom article of the OP ....

Members of Congress have until the end of the year to review and modify the Patriot Act, but some lawmakers hope to steamroll the entire process through Congress in the next few weeks. -snip-

I remember an e mail about 2 weeks ago I got from Kerry dealing with the nuclear option ...... the e mail ended with a statement something like "Things are going to begin to happen very fast now" ominous words? :wtf: Peace.

If they have to do it behind closed doors so nobody sees, maybe it's because they're trying to sneak another one past us.

If there was no problem, don't you think they'd be straight out there in the open, in the sunshine, in front of every camera and microphone and tape recorder they could find?

:banghead:

I sure as hell don't. I thought one of the main aspects of democracy was that it was open, and that the leaders were accountable to the people. Guess I was wrong... x(

Watch: (Have to do this now and then)

:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

Shew. I know I feel better now. Not! ;)

They are slowly removing our constitutional rights, the Bastards....

Past words... speechless.

:nuke:

Snip

Members of Congress have until the end of the year to review and modify the Patriot Act, but some lawmakers hope to steamroll the entire process through Congress in the next few weeks. This closed-door markup is an indication that some in Congress are trying to rush through legislation, and keep the public in the dark.

The following can be attributed to Anthony D. Romero, ACLU Executive Director: “One reason that people across the political spectrum are concerned about the Patriot Act is that so much of it is shrouded in secrecy. Many provisions are implemented secretly, and the government has kept secret key information on how it is being used. Now, lawmakers are trying to keep legislation to reauthorize the Patriot Act secret as well.

“Nearly 400 communities, included seven states, have passed resolutions calling on lawmakers to bring the Patriot Act in line with the Constitution. Instead of addressing these legitimate concerns, and reviewing the act in daylight, some in Congress would rather hide behind closed doors away from public scrutiny. The Patriot Act has been the subject of heated debates in recent months—in Congress, in the media, and in households around the country. There is no good reason for the mark-up and vote on this public law to be kept secret from the public.”

For more information: http://www.aclu.org/sunsets

end snip

grind the senate to a halt, basically stopping that as well.

Priorities:

* Section 213, which expands the government's ability to execute criminal search warrants (which need not involve terrorism) and seize property without telling the target for weeks or months.

* Section 215, which allows the FBI to seize a vast array of sensitive personal information and belongings – including medical, library and business records – using secret intelligence tools that do not require individual criminal activity. Although the records can only be seized pursuant to a court order, judges are compelled to issue these orders, making such judicial review nothing more than a rubber stamp.

* Section 505, which lowers the evidentiary standard for "national security letters," or NSLs, which are issued at the sole discretion of the Justice Department, impose a blanket gag order on recipients and are not subject to judicial review. NSLs can be used to seize a wide variety of business and financial records, and in certain instances could be used to access the membership lists of organizations that provide even very limited Internet services (message boards on the ACLU’s website for instance). OR MAYBE HERE ???

http://www.aclu.org/sunsets/

Everything (along with Patriot Act II, which was sneaked through in December 2004 and the Real-ID Act, which we just saw pass through without debate) bothers me. When a bill has to be 'sneaked through' to pass, then there is something very wrong with it!

At present, we have virtually NO Bill of Rights!

---

Sec. 802 Defines "domestic terrorism" to include any act that is "dangerous to human life," involves a violation of any state or federal law and is intended to influence government policy or coerce a civilian population. The ACLU fears protesters will be targeted under this section.

11 years too late, but not too far off the mark.

"Sec. 802 Defines "domestic terrorism" to include any act that is "dangerous to human life" "

Do you think Orwell is turning in his grave or what?

No Bill of Rights.

:scared:

Yet another primal scream.

HOW CAN WE STOP THESE PEOPLE FROM DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY????

presenting Secret Evidence only the judge can see and after the Secret Conviction they'll send us to Secret Locations.

All of it in secret.

"Double-secret probation." As big a travesty as that character was, but hardly a laughing matter. :mad: :grr:

The SIC is considered the most "bi-partisan" of all the Senate Committees. This isn't just the hated R's but our hale and hearty "breathren" D's that are hard at work eliminating what's left of the Bill of Rights.

What was that quote about absolute power?

Neo-fascists! Gawd!!! :grr:

:eyes:

not that it will make any difference...

Okie dokie so I find that now they are going to review the act in secret in the Senate. So should I bury the Constitution and strike out the Fourth Ammendment from it?

What will it take for people to call the Neo Fascists in the Senate exactly what they are? Closed doors only means they are about to take even more of our precious civil rights away and no peep from anybody.

When historians look back at the death of American Democracy one root will be the complicit media (and the corporations), but another will be the Democratic Party, which alas is acting exactly like the Liberal Democrats in 1930s Germany. So when exactly are the cmaps going to open? Wait they have, Guantamo.

Arbeit Mach Frei, I expect to see this soon...

'Cause at this rate (super-sonic at that), who the heck knows what it will take for people to "get-it."

What I don't understand is how 9/11 imploded such harsh, negative actions and reactions our own leaders and 1/3 of our fellow Americans believe in - like fear, greed, and anger at the other 2/3rd's of us.

They're either in complete denial, or enjoying the tons of power and money gains. And the rest of us get lost in cracks growing with each day. You know, the Rethugs keep saying "We're the majority." Are they? When well over half of Americans didn't vote at all - that we know of. 2000 Gore: What was it? less then 100 votes when it was stopped!?! Or something near that. And we know things smelled bad in Ohio. So how do "they" sleep at nights knowing they're not truly the majority?

I just don't get it. Yet, at the sametime I do.

Certain radical non-mainstream idealists grabbed at the change (opportunitists) and ravaged us when we were at our most vulnerablist.

Where does it all end? I shudder that last thought.

:kick:

Knowing what the law is will be on a need-to-know basis. You don't need to know what's against the law -- maybe they'll tell you at Gitmo, or maybe not. For that matter, those who take you into custody need not know what the law is either: only how to find you.

Could you please post this also in GDP. This is not getting the attention it deserves.

Sincerely appreciate that tip. Not big at posting but felt this needed to get out here. Again, thank you.

:kick: