Alan Grayson submits the Mind Your Own Business Act

[phantom power]

It's astonishing that this is necessary, but apparently it is:



Simple and to the point.

They're calling it the Mind Your Own Business Act and if you support it you can sign a petition, here.

http://mindyourownbusinessact.com/

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-mind-your-own-business-act.html

[ananda]

1. Kick!

..

[Initech]

2. Love it!

[forestpath]

3. K&R

[bunnies]

5. Minding business.

heh. Congress certainly has no problems with that!

[Triana]

6. Grayson himself posted about it here a couple of days ago & was lambasted for it.

Shame. But I signed on to support it and him.

[Dragonfli]

22. As I recall, he committed blasphemy and was properly stoned by the Lord's disciples.

You can spot the Boggers by the fake beards

[Triana]

26. +1

[CrispyQ]

7. Just sent him a few bucks.

[premium]

8. Signed.

I love the name of it.

[sabrina 1]

9. I already signed it.

I hope he gets support for it. It's way past due.

[cantbeserious]

10. Thank You - Representative Grayson

eom

[snappyturtle]

11. Thank you....signed. Rep. Grayson is a national treasure and patriot.

[livingwagenow]

30. +1

He's one of my favorite all-time pols.

[snappyturtle]

32. Oh, me too!

Welcome to DU!

[treestar]

12. Let's see if he can twist enough arms to get the House to pass it

A sign of true leadership is being able to twist arms. Let's see if he is the next LBJ. I expect this bill to pass this House.

[Savannahmann]

13. So it doesn't matter if the proposal is good, moral, and constitutional.

The only thing that matters is if it can pass the house? So getting our opponents to go along is the only metric by which we judge the effectiveness or responsiveness of the Politician in question?

[treestar]

17. of course. It is not going to become law unless it passes the House.

[woo me with science]

14. We have a Fourth Amendment.

This should not be necessary.

We have a Fourth Amendment.

[Duer 157099]

28. Exactly.

I can see the gubmint saying that "We ARE minding our own business by spying on you!"

What we need is an "Take the 4th Amendment Seriously" Act.

[hobbit709]

15. That was interesting when I emailed the link to several people.

ALL the recipients with AOL email were blocked from receiving it.

[airplaneman]

16. I learned not to long ago that both Comcast and AOL

Both Comcast and AOL block emails of their choice. I could not get emails from Fresh and Easy and they were aware that Comcast and AOL had been blocking their emails. I had to go through MSN to get the emails I was after. Its not just the government - private enterprise is far more evil than the government and we at least have a chance with changing what the government does.
-Airplane

[timdog44]

18. This is how a bill

should be written. And be written by a representative of the electorate. Not the 500 page bills written by lobbyists and rubber stamped by the bought and paid for type in Washington DC.

Oh, by the way I signed too.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

19. We already have a law that prohibit this very thing.

What we need is so many people involved in the program from lower to mid to upper levels turned out on their ears is not outright prosecuted that in the future any suggestion of such a program makes the hearts of those in the room seize with a cold dread at the mere utterance of the idea.

However, I will support this bill if Mr. Grayson changes the name to the Mind Your Own DAMNED Business Act

[ProSense]

20. Here's something to consider:

It's already illegal to collect this information on Americans. The probable cause execption is just as vague as the current language, and Grayson's amendment doesn't specify what to do about Americans overseas (that is, it only prohibits this on "a citizen located in the United States."

Here is information on the FISA law including the 2008 amendments.

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008

Specifically, the Act:[19]

• Prohibits the individual states from investigating, sanctioning of, or requiring disclosure by complicit telecoms or other persons.
  
  
• Permits the government not to keep records of searches, and destroy existing records (it requires them to keep the records for a period of 10 years).
  
  
• Protects telecommunications companies from lawsuits for "'past or future cooperation' with federal law enforcement authorities and will assist the intelligence community in determining the plans of terrorists". Immunity is given by a certification process, which can be overturned by a court on specific grounds.[20]
  
  
• Removes requirements for detailed descriptions of the nature of information or property targeted by the surveillance if the target is reasonably believed to be outside the country.[20]
  
  
• Increased the time for warrantless surveillance from 48 hours to 7 days, if the FISA court is notified and receives an application, specific officials sign the emergency notification, and relates to an American located outside of the United States with probable cause they are an agent of a foreign power. After 7 days, if the court denies or does not review the application, the information obtained cannot be offered as evidence. If the United States Attorney General believes the information shows threat of death or bodily harm, they can try to offer the information as evidence in future proceedings.[21]
  
  
• Permits the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General to jointly authorize warrantless electronic surveillance, for one-year periods, targeted at a foreigner who is abroad. This provision will sunset on December 31, 2012.
  
  
• Requires FISA court permission to target wiretaps at Americans who are overseas.
  
  
• Requires government agencies to cease warranted surveillance of a targeted American who is abroad if said person enters the United States. (However, said surveillance may resume if it is reasonably believed that the person has left the States.)
  
  
• Prohibits targeting a foreigner to eavesdrop on an American's calls or e-mails without court approval. [22]
  
  
• Allows the FISA court 30 days to review existing but expiring surveillance orders before renewing them.
  
  
• Allows eavesdropping in emergencies without court approval, provided the government files required papers within a week.
  
  
• Prohibits the government from invoking war powers or other authorities to supersede surveillance rules in the future.
  
  
• Requires the Inspectors General of all intelligence agencies involved in the President's Surveillance Program to "complete a comprehensive review" and report within one year

Effects

• The provisions of the Act granting immunity to the complicit telecoms create a roadblock for a number of lawsuits intended to expose and thwart the alleged abuses of power and illegal activities of the federal government since and before the September 11 attacks.[citation needed]
  
  
• Allows the government to conduct surveillance of "a U.S. person located outside of the U.S. with probable cause they are an agent of a foreign power" for up to one week (168 hours) without a warrant, increased from the previous 48 hours, as long as the FISA court is notified at the time such surveillance begins, and an application as usually required for surveillance authorization is submitted by the government to FISA within those 168 hours[21]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Act_of_1978_Amendments_Act_of_2008#Provisions

[cantbeserious]

24. And We All Now Know How Well This Is Working For Us

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3021853

[ProSense]

25. Yes,

"And We All Now Know How Well This Is Working For Us"

...I know that: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3022688

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

36. I

disagree with the notion that "probable cause" is vauge...

from the 4th...
"...no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation"

seems pretty clear to me, however I am not clear as to why we need another law restating it.

[WillyT]

21. K & R !!!

[ProSense]

23. Republicans blocked this in committee

Rules Committee Blocks House from Voting on Grayson Privacy Amendment

Grayson’s Amendment Would Have Prohibited Info Collection on U.S. Citizens

Rules Committee Blocks House from Voting on Grayson Privacy Amendment

Grayson’s Amendment Would Have Prohibited Info Collection on U.S. Citizens

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – In a late night meeting yesterday, the House Committee on Rules blocked an amendment by Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-09), which would have prohibited the Department of Defense from collecting internet, telephone and other personal information generated by U.S. citizens, in America, without probable cause of a terrorism or criminal offense. The Rules Committee determines which amendments to a bill will move forward to the House floor for a full vote. There was no recorded vote, but Republicans outnumber Democrats on that committee by nine to four. Rather than allowing the full House of Representatives to vote on Grayson’s amendment, Republicans on the committee prevented the amendment from going on to the Floor.

Grayson drafted the amendment in an effort to address detailed reports that the National Security Administration (NSA) is collecting the telephone records and the private internet communications of U.S. citizens in the United States.

Grayson blasted the decision, saying that Congress must protect the freedom and privacy of all Americans.

“This is an extremely important issue for you, me, and everyone else. According to credible articles, the NSA is compiling personal data on each and every single one of us, even the entirely innocent—for no reason, other than the fact that they can,” Grayson said. “This amendment should have received the full consideration of the House of Representatives, so that those of us who have been elected to represent our constituents can defend our freedom, end this gross invasion of privacy, and ensure that these actions cease immediately.”

http://grayson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rules-committee-blocks-house-from-voting-on-grayson-privacy-amendment

[tarheelsunc]

27. "The government needs to stop collecting your personal information."

"Here, sign my petition and give me your zip code and email address!"

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

37. psst... their is a big difference between voluntarily and involuntarily

FYI

[indepat]

29. The very idea of trying to block funding of unconstitutional governmental encroachment on our

liberty. Who the hell does Congressman Grayson think he is?

[livingwagenow]

31. Signed

wtg Al Grayson!

[reformist2]

33. Good, but I also want a law that will erase the database!

[Doctor_J]

34. Grayson is now considered by a chunk of DU to be a teabagger

because he doesn't approve of the president continuing the "spy on Americans" program. Or cutting SS, or approving the KeystoneXL. Very strange what passes for "Democrat" these days.

[Poll_Blind]

35. Fuck. Yeah. +1

PB

[Deuce]

38. Signed...

[thesquanderer]

39. Clicking the REC button on this probably puts you on a surveillance list somewhere

That's only half in jest. That seems to be the direction we are going.