PATRIOT Act

The House Judiciary Committee has voted 22-13 to extend the business records and roving wiretap provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act through December 31, 2017. HR1800 also makes the "lone wolf" provision a permanent fixture in federal usurption of individual rights.

The ultimate insult to American freedom that is the PATRIOT Act can just never seem to die no matter which party is running the show. This is likely one of the reasons that the majority of Americans believe that it is time for a third party.

We heard many, many times during the Bush Administration - "America is safer [but] not yet safe." And we've seen the mantra repeated by both sides of the aisle in renewing various provisions of the PATRIOT Act time and time again. And now, for your safety, the "experts" are suggesting security checkpoints outside your local Wal-Mart, churches, schools, etc.

Security consultant David Boehm said the future could include security check points entering all soft targets — like your local department store. Boehm said even with a police presence, the areas are vulnerable.

In this clip from Fox News, it appears that Americans are guilty until proven innocent, at least in regard to "terrorism", according to Gretchen Carlson. It's only a minute long, so I'll let you just watch the video as it is rather self explanatory.

Last night, the United States House of Representatives had a major vote. The vote was on the extension of the USA PATRIOT Act. Why was this vote important? Because the Republicans who took over the House campaigned on individual liberty.

Guess what? Their true colors showed last night. The vote to extend the PATRIOT Act is a good measure of where a Congressman stands in relation to promoting the freedom of Americans over the intrusion of government into private lives.

Yes, it's true that it was Republicans who shoved the PATRIOT Act down the throats of Americans in the wake of 9/11, and many Americans were too scared to cry "foul" because the public was generally emotionally compromised. Each vote to extend the PATRIOT Act reaffirms this (to me, at least): the terrorists won.

There are many parallels between the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 and the Patriot Act of 2001. You would’ve thought that Americans would’ve learned in history class about the lessons to be learned from 1798.... oh wait, we don’t really teach the parts of history we don’t like anymore.

“It is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to the provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad.” - James Madison

“[The people are] made for a moment to be willing instruments in forging chains for themselves.” - Thomas Jefferson

The above statements were made in 1798 regarding the Alien and Sedition Acts. You can also apply those statements today to the Patriot Act (or just about any Act of Congress that threatens our liberties).

Last weekend, Congress quietly renewed the PATRIOT Act for one year while we were fixated on Obamacare. The Senate was unanimous, while the House was 315-97 in favor.

I find it quite ironic that the same Democrats who decried the PATRIOT Act as the worst ever Act of Congress voted in favor of renewing it. This just goes to show that it doesn’t matter what our representatives say or where they appear to stand on an issue, but it only matters how it helps them.