Lisa Murkowski's response to my letter

[Blue_In_AK]

here http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5623819&mesg_id=5624630 regarding her position on the USA PATRIOT Act.


Dear Blue_in_AK:

Thank you for contacting me about the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act. I, along with five of my Senate colleagues, expressed concerns about the draft conference report to reauthorize portions of the Patriot Act that are set to expire at the end of this year. I am pleased that conferees to the bill agreed to return to the negotiating table to consider our concerns.

In particular, we are looking for shorter sunset provisions for two of the reauthorized provisions (from seven years to four years), additional judicial review of administrative action under Section 215 of the Patriot Act (library and other business records) and national security letters, and a shorter initial delayed notification time frame for authorities to conduct legal searches without informing the target of the search (from 30 days to seven days).

In late July of 2005, the Senate unanimously passed legislation that I felt took a balanced step toward maintaining our law enforcement's ability to obtain the information it needs to provide for our national security while also upholding the individual rights and freedoms we value. I am hopeful that the conferees will move closer to the Senate-passed language -- we have worked too long and too hard to allow this conference report to eliminate the modest protections for civil liberties that were agreed to by the Senate.

Again, thank you for contacting me on this issue. I appreciate knowing your thoughts.

Sincerely, Lisa Murkowski



I'm rather curious how she feels about President Spy at this point. She may be a Republican, but at least she seems to be somewhat concerned about protecting our civil liberties.

[kaygore]

1. What else could she say?

There were not enough votes to end a filibuster, so it makes it possible for some Republicans to lok like heroes when all they want is naked power and a dictatorship.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Perhaps, but she was one of only three or four

Republicans who sided with the Democrats on this, filibuster or no, so I'll give her some respect, especially considering that she had to oppose her co Alaskan senator Ted Stevens, the Hulk.

[kaygore]

3. Stevens is a brainless panderer

He is an embarrassment for Alaska...for America. What a loser. What a loser. What a loser!!!!!!!

[Blue_In_AK]

4. You got that right...

I just hope and pray that people in the Lower 48 don't think that he's representative of what Alaskans are really about. The only reason he keeps getting elected is because he's been in the job for so long that he has the name recognition. Thankfully, as I mentioned in another post, our local media has started hammering on him really hard the past year or two, so hopefully people are starting to wake up. While I certainly don't agree with Lisa on opening ANWR, at least she seems to be thinking for herself on some of these other issues and not marching in lockstep. She is the only one of my senators or representative (unfortunately we have only one of those, that asshole Don Young) that I even bother writing to. At least she responds.

[kaygore]

5. Good point

I am just a bit crazed about the chance that the Patriot Act might get renewed