Patriot Act/NSA spying on Americans

[k3nt]

[Zuccala]

[80Proof]

[Dumb Snowman]

Ice, I thought you were 50-60...

[iceman5]

[Dumb Snowman]

[JDLush]

[NorthView]

Nice quote, very apt.

We're being sold the same "it's in your own interests" line here, without any detail whatsoever. I don't go along with the "if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear" line either - most people have something in their lives or background they want to keep private. Who's happy with people going through their bins?

[iceman5]

[k3nt]

In the words of an old joke, when a Communist found out about Stalin’s gulag, he was ready with a rejoinder: "It was necessary, it didn’t happen, and they’re not doing it anymore."

The right and the left really have switched places in the past few decades.

[k3nt]

[iceman5]

[k3nt]

An oath I found. All real Americans need to sign this and send it to the White House.

(And if you think this a joke, that the executive branch hasn't already claimed all of these powers, you need to keep up with the news a little better.)

.....


"I (the undersigned) believe President George W. Bush when he says that the United States of America is fighting a 'new kind of enemy' that requires 'new thinking' about how to wage war. Therefore, as a loyal citizen of President Bush’s United States, my signature below indicates my agreement to the following:

"1. I believe wholeheartedly in the Patriot Act as initially passed by Congress in 2001, as well as the provisions of the Domestic Security Enhancement Act. Therefore, I grant the FBI access to:

"a. my library records, so it may determine if I am reading material that might designate me an enemy of the nation;

"b. my financial records, including credit reports, so it may determine if I am contributing monetarily to any governmentally proscribed activities or organizations;

"c. my medical records, so it may determine if my prescriptions, injuries, or other conditions are indicative of terrorist activity on my part;

"d. any and all other personal records including, but not limited to, my store purchases, my school records, my web browsing history, and anything else determined as a 'tangible thing' necessary to engage in a secret investigation of me.

"I agree that I do not need to be notified if my records have come under scrutiny by the FBI, and, furthermore, I agree that no warrant is needed for the FBI to engage in this examination of my personal records. Additionally, I agree that the FBI should be allowed to monitor any groups it believes may be linked to what it determines to be terrorist activity.

"2. I believe that the President of the United States has the power to mitigate any and all laws passed by the Congress and that he has such power granted to him by his status as Commander-in-Chief in the Constitution as well as the 2001 Authorization of Military Force, passed by the Congress, which states that the President can use 'all necessary and appropriate force' in prosecution of the war. Therefore, I grant the United States government the following powers:

"a. that the National Security Agency, under the direction of the President, may tap my phone lines and intercept my e-mail without warrant or FISA oversight;

"b. that the President may hold me or other detainees without access to the legal system for a period of time determined by the President or his agents;

"c. that the President may authorize physical force against me or other individual detainees in order to gain intelligence and that he may define whether such physical force may be called 'torture':

"d. that the President may set aside any and all laws he sees as hindering the gathering of intelligence and prevention of terrorist acts for a period as time determined by the President, including, but not limited to, rights to political protest.

"I agree that the Judicial and Legislative branch should be allowed no oversight of these activities, and that such oversight merely emboldens the terrorists. I also agree that virtually all of these activities may be conducted in complete secrecy and that revelation of these activities amount to treasonous behavior on the part of those who reveal these activities to the press and the citizenry.

"3. Finally, this document is my statement that I believe the President of the United States and the entire executive branch, as well as all departments and agencies involved, as well as all of its personnel, will treat these powers I have granted them with utmost respect. I believe that these powers will not be abused, nor will any of the information I have given them permission to examine be misinterpreted. However, should such abuse or misinterpretation occur, I agree that such actions are mere errors and no one should be subject to investigation, arrest, or employment action as a result.

"My consent freely given,
"(Your signature)"

[EscapePlan9]

[iceman5]

K3nt, if all of that saves my 6 year old son from being blown up while hes at a football game with the boy scouts, then Im all for it.

You can bet the next terroristic attack (s) are being planned now. 3000 people dying in the World Trade Center will be nothing if they get creative.

What if they hang glide (or Hot Air Ballon) into the Rose Bowl with the pilot carrying a massive amount of explosives? There will be 100,000 people there and another 30 million or so watching live. They could probably take out 30,000.