Democrats retreat on new privacy protections

[cory777]

Source: AP

By LARRY MARGASAK, Associated Press Writer Larry Margasak, Associated Press Writer – 48 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats have retreated from adding new privacy protections to the nation's primary counterterrorism law, as Republicans refused to lend support and portrayed the majority as willing to harm terror investigations.

Lacking the necessary 60-vote supermajority, Democratic leaders settled on a one-year extension of expiring surveillance and seizure provisions of the USA Patriot Act.

They tossed aside curbs — and greater scrutiny — on government authority agreed to by the Senate Judiciary Committee in October after spirited debate.

The extension passed Wednesday night by voice vote with no debate. The bill goes to the House, but with key sections of the law ready to expire Sunday, there's little chance that changes will be made. Expiration of key anti-terrorism tools, even for a short time, would seriously hamper law enforcement.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100225/ap_on_go_co/us_patriot_act

---

It looks like the real loser in this deal is the American people!

[Jim Sagle]

1. Retreating is who they are, it's what they do.

:boring:

[saigon68]

28. Bushes 3rd term Marches On

Nice </sarcasm>

[FrenchieCat]

2. Boy, there are so many smears in the newspapers this morning

it may be a record! Fast and furious!
Must be the summit!
Must be the fucking Tarantino fillabuster....
should be read, must be the Republicans.

[change_notfinetuning]

3. If the lipstick fits . . .

so many pigs, so many smears.

[yava]

15. Its just a show

They propose amendments and legislation just so they can tell their voters they tried.
But they know they will take them back later.

[Wizard777]

4. Idiots! They were in the perfect position to shove the changes down the Republicans throat.

Either they vote for our bill with protections or we let it expire and get protections that way. The IV Amendment is in serious trouble. Right now you pretty much give up your IV Amendment rights the second you set foot in a automobile. The IV Amendment is on life support and fading fast.

[Yuugal]

5. 'Democrats retreat'

Overcome by dry powder disorder?

[Javaman]

8. I'll let you in on a secret: the Dems never had any powder to begin with.

it was all a clever rues to convince us that they had a spine.

[crikkett]

14. .

(ruse)

:hi:

[depakid]

6. Talk about wilfully losing control of the narrative...

One silver lining is that at least the Democrats have gotten a schooling on what an opposition party looks like...

[scentopine]

7. China Issues Statement of Support - "State sponsored spying on citizens is great!" -nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. There is that 60 vote meme again.

Is 60 votes really needed to pass a law?
Why is a "super majority" needed?
Won't a "majority " do?

[No Elephants]

11. 3/5 vote to end a fillibuster, except ending a filibuster about a Senate Rule change requires

a 2/3 vote, and 60 votes to increase the budget deficit. A filibuster can practically be phoned in, but the Senate Majority Leader can change that. There may be more requirements above a majority, but those are the rules I know of right now.

Nuclear option: change the rules with 50 Senators plus the V.P., even though you may have to endure a fillibuster before you get to vote on the rule change itself.

A look back to when Democrats, though more deeply divided than today--were Democrats and even Republicans were Americans--and the President could wheedle, cajole and bribe enough Senators of both Parties into line.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964


http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Civil_Rights_Filibuster_Ended.htm

[ixion]

10. the Feds hold We, the People in contempt

I think they've made that very clear.

[Art_from_Ark]

12. More and more, the Democrats are reminding me of this guy

When danger reared its ugly head
He bravely turned his tail and fled
Brave Sir Robin turned about
Gallantly he chickened out

[No Elephants]

13. Are we willing to have no power whatever when we are in the minority in Congress?

If so, we should have changed the rules when we had sixty Senators. (Thanks again, Coakley and the DNC, for blowing that election.)

Or, we need a Constitutional amendment requiring EVERYthing be done by a simple majority vote--but that bill, too, can be filibustered.

If we are not willing to have no power whatever when we are in the minority, then we need to accept that nothing may get done in Congress ever again, except things like the Patriot Act and "defense" spending. In other words, a perennial Republican agenda.

[maddezmom]

16. kick

[The Northerner]

17. US to extend controversial Bush-era law

Source: Press TV

The US is set to extend a Bush-era controversial counter-terrorism law called the Patriot Act for yet another year.

The Patriot Act, hastily adopted six weeks after the 2001 terror attacks, greatly expands the government's ability to spy on Americans in the name of national security.

On Thursday, The House of Representatives voted the bill overwhelmingly and sent it to President Barack Obama for his approval.

The vote came a day after the Senate approved the extension to the bill.

With both Congressional bodies pushing for an extension, it is only a matter of time before Obama signs the legislation.

Read more: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=119581§ionid=3510203

[Wardoc]

18. LOL!! I'm so fucking disillusioned with "our" Congress right now. Fuck it all. (nt)

[Hubert Flottz]

19. We need that shit to spy on the repubs with.

[NecklyTyler]

26. Unfortunately, our Government contracts everything out

The contract spies have a propensity to be part of the Military Industrial Complex.

What we end up with is the contractors spying on Congress and blackmailing them into more defense spending.

[Purveyor]

20. The Iranian press gets a chuckle...indeed! eom

[grahamhgreen]

21. 9-11? we need a real investigation into the Bush & bin Laden family connections.

[avaistheone1]

22. Change anyone?

[dipsydoodle]

24. NOT

.

[winyanstaz]

23. Proof we have been betrayed....

Anymore doubts?

[dipsydoodle]

25. Just when you thought it was safe

you get fucked again.x(

[Divine Discontent]

27. a year's went by since the last time he signed it? wow times flies... SIGH>>...

[Gormy Cuss]

29. No majority? How about letting the POS expire and blaming the party of No?

"Expiration of key anti-terrorism tools, even for a short time, would seriously hamper law enforcement..."
TERROR! TERROR! TERROR! I'm sick of that excuse.

[brand404]

30. Right on Cue - Democrats being Democrtas. Note to all: The world hates Americans