Patriot Act II

[cj001f]

While the nation was distracted last month by images of Saddam Hussein's spider hole and dental exam, President George W. Bush quietly signed into law a new bill that gives the FBI increased surveillance powers and dramatically expands the reach of the USA Patriot Act.

 

The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 grants the FBI unprecedented power to obtain records from financial institutions without requiring permission from a judge.

 

Under the law, the FBI does not need to seek a court order to access such records, nor does it need to prove just cause.

 

Previously, under the Patriot Act, the FBI had to submit subpoena requests to a federal judge. Intelligence agencies and the Treasury Department, however, could obtain some financial data from banks, credit unions and other financial institutions without a court order or grand jury subpoena if they had the approval of a senior government official.

 

The new law (see Section 374 of the act), however, lets the FBI acquire these records through an administrative procedure whereby an FBI field agent simply drafts a so-called national security letter stating the information is relevant to a national security investigation.

 

http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,61792,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1

[scrambler]

I'm gonna be an equal opportunity slammer, actually Clinton started the ball rolling back in 1996 after the OKC bombing when he signed into law the Anti-Terrorist Act.

 

Supposedly, this "antiterrorism" legislation not only gives the attorney general the power to use the armed services against the civilian population, nullifying the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 (which prohibited the use of federal troops for civilian law enforcement), but also selectively suspends habeas corpus, the heart of Anglo-American liberty."

 

Here's what Clinton said before signing the act: "We can't be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans." A year later on MTV: "A lot of people say there's too much personal freedom. When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it."

 

I believe Bush is just continuing the trend that started before 911. Another terrorist act on US soil might be the final nail in the coffin.

[ChickenShiite911]

Wasn't it Mao Tse-tung, or someone, that said something like... "The greater our population, the more we must subjugate our individual liberties for the benefit of the masses." (in his 'Little Red Book' maybe?) I honestly don't know...thought maybe someone out there might. Seems kind of apropos to the discussion though. I think I'll shut up now and wait to get spanked...badly.

[Stonehead]

"Power comes from the barrel of a gun."

[catbirdseat]

The Intelligence Authorization Act will make a great political tool. The FBI and Bush will be better able to blackmail opponents into submission. They'll be able to find out which democratic congressmen are keeping mistresses and then they'll be able to manipulate them with the implicit threat of exposure. None of us will ever know what's going on.