ACLU Says White House Usurps Patriot Act Reauthorization Process...(ACLU)

[Up2Late]

(Well seeing how none of the "news" papers have seen fit to publish this, I guess I'll have to do it.)

ACLU Says White House Usurps Patriot Act Reauthorization Process, Negotiators Neglect Privacy and Civil Liberties Concerns but Add Poison Pills

November 16, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [e-mail]

WASHINGTON - A conference committee tasked to reconcile differences between House and Senate Patriot Act bills ignored bipartisan calls to restore checks and balances on government power and protect privacy and civil liberties, the American Civil Liberties Union said today. The Republican-led conferees also attached several "poison pill" measures to the must-pass legislation, unrelated to the 2001 anti-terrorism law. The House and Senate are expected to vote on the bill this week.

The following can be attributed to Lisa Graves, ACLU Senior Counsel for Legislative Strategy:

"The Patriot Act was bad in 2001, and despite bipartisan calls for reform, it's still bad in 2005. Instead of addressing the real concerns that millions of Americans have about the Patriot Act, the Republican majority in Congress buckled to White House pressure, stripping the bill of modest yet meaningful reforms. Congress must reject this bill.

"Don't be fooled by some lawmakers spinning this bill as Patriot Act reform. It’s anything but. Lawmakers have let the administration take us from bad to worse. There's a reason why groups like the Chamber of Commerce, American Conservative Union and American Library Association have all come together for Patriot Act reform. The question is: Why haven’t lawmakers listened?"

To read the ACLU's interested person's memo on the draft conference report, go to:
<http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=19410&c=206>

To read a summary of the ACLU's interested person's memo on the draft conference report, go to:
<http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=19411&c=206>

To read the ACLU's letter to Congress on the draft conference report, go to:
<http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=19412&c=206>

To learn more about the ACLU’s concerns with the Patriot Act, go to:
<http://www.reformthepatriotact.org>

<http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=19407&c=206>
(more info at links above)

[texpatriot2004]

1. Thanks for being the media on this important issue...

Repeal the Unpatriot act.

[Up2Late]

2. Glad to do it. Maybe none of them could figure out what "Usurps" means

Or MAYBE, the "new and improved" "patriot act" expressly forbids them from reporting this.

That would suck.

[Daphne08]

3. I really don't understand why more people are not upset by

this betrayal!

I am furious!

[Up2Late]

4. Me too, maybe the morning people will have more to say.

It was after mid-night when I found and posted this. :kick:

[Wordie]

16. I can't understand it either! How COULD both houses pass this bad bill? nt

[Up2Late]

18. It's not really that, it's when these crooks go into conference to...

..."work out the differences," but instead, they just toss out all the chances all our Reps and Senators made on the floors of the House and Senate, put in what the White House wanted, and then jam it through attached to some bill that is nearly imposable to vote against.

This is a despicable act.

On Edit: BTW, this is NOT the first time they have done this sort of thing.

[Wordie]

19. Feingold has threatened a FILLIBUSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5389438

[Up2Late]

21. Thanks, that some of the best news I heard all week.

[Daphne08]

5. A kick for the morning readers!

:kick:

[acmavm]

6. I'm a morning reader. Did my internship with the ACLU for my Paralegal

degree.

The ACLU is doing everything that they can to fight the Patriot Act. But they can't do it alone. They need support, a lot of support, from the public. It's like everything else. The crooked republican senate only does or undoes things (like the bridge to nowhere, drilling in the ANWR, etc.) when it finds that there is massive public support for the opposition. Well, we don't have that in the Patriot Act. The stupid public still doesn't know what the hell they snuck into that piece of legislation that makes it so damn dispicable and dangerous. So they haven't made the calls to their reps, signed the petitions, etc., like they do for what they perceive as other 'hot button' issues.

[annabanana]

7. Can someone find the leg. numbers and sponsors?

It is easier to get a cogent call into our Sens and Reps when we can be specific..

[rodeodance]

8. many still trust our Commander in chief-to do what is right.

sad

......There's a reason why groups like the Chamber of Commerce, American Conservative Union and American Library Association have all come together for Patriot Act reform. The question is: Why haven’t lawmakers listened?"

[Joe Chi Minh]

9. Capitalism is no more sympathetic to democracy than

Communism; insofar as it is successful, it is forced upon it. But that endeavour, as we well know, is not always successful.

[indepat]

10. Why do all who support these most egregious provisions hate America?

[Up2Late]

11. No Kidding, This is almost the most UN-American Act ever passed

Ranks right up their with the 1950's Joe McCarthy era stuff.

[Angry Girl]

12. Kick and recommend please!

[Supersedeas]

13. and Again

[Up2Late]

14. Here's the letter I sent to NPR, If you have a "favorite news source"...

...other than here, you should right them too. :kick:

Did you miss the NEW Press Release from the ACLU?

Hello,

I heard your report on the USA PATRIOT Act renewal and revisions, and it sounded to me like your reporter failed to include and consider the last minute changes, or as the ACLU wrote in a Press release late Wednesday,

"ACLU Says White House Usurps Patriot Act Reauthorization Process, Negotiators Neglect Privacy and Civil Liberties Concerns but Add Poison Pills"

<http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=19407&c=206>

This Press Release from the ACLU has received NO press attention, even though, what is describes is outrageous behavior by the White House and the House/Senate Conference committee.

Please investigate this, and if this is new and so far un-reported info, please report it ASAP.

Thank you

(Name Removed)
Marietta, Georgia

[redqueen]

15. Well I've made my calls.

I hate doing it because they're republicans and they always ask for all my personal info... I always think they're going to label me as a dissenter and do God knows what with it.

[Daphne08]

17. We still need to stay on top of this

:kick:

[realFedUp]

20. Take action today! Friday

League of Women Voters sent this out:

http://takeaction.lwv.org/lwv/issues/alert/?alertid=8256371

ACTION ALERT: OPPOSE THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE PATRIOT ACT
November 18, 2005

Urgent action is needed to oppose the conference report on H.R. 3199, the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act! Congress could vote as early as today on this bill. The version reported by the House and Senate conference committee provides for more government secrecy in the name of homeland security and anti-terrorism without the checks and balances needed to protect civil liberties. Medical, banking or library records of Americans can still be obtained by law enforcement without necessary safeguards.

Take action now to oppose the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act!