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Patriot Act to be Expanded

m4dm4n writes "It seems that the patriot act is being expanded rather than scaled back after a vote late Tuesday by the Senate Intelligence committee. The FBI has gained new powers to demand documents from companies without a judge's approval, as well as the ability to designate subpoenas as secret and punish disclosure of their existence with up to one year in prison."

28 of 1,523 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Anyone get the feeling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    where'd you get that idea?

    the US has fair and democratic elections, does not lock up people without a trial, does not torture, and has no weapons of mass destruction..

  2. Hurrah! by Seumas · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yet another step is assuring freedom will overcome terrorism!

    It's just too bad Bush can't have a third term. How will we be safe when he is gone?!

    1. Re:Hurrah! by Seumas · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm sorry, but even Americans aren't stupid enough to elect a president named "Jeb". I mean, that's some Beverly Hillbilly shit right there.

  3. Re:US = Jenga by cyberfelon2k5 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I for one welcome our new Jenga playing overlords.

  4. Re:Home of the brave... by rxmd · · Score: 5, Funny
    ...land of the free?
    As in beer, I guess.
    --
    As a state gets corrupt, its laws multiply; the most corrupt states have the most numerous laws. (Tacitus, Annales 3:27)
  5. In Soviet USA... by Jace+of+Fuse! · · Score: 2, Funny

    In Soviety USA, lame joke applies to YOU.

    --

    "Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"

    Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.
  6. MOD PARENT UP by sosume · · Score: 5, Funny

    +5, insightful
    +5, informative
    +5 years in prison!

  7. Comming tomorrow: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The FBI asked /. to hand out certain ip addresses.

  8. Patri-what-ic? by name*censored* · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is hilarious. In my country (Australia) we *have* no patriotic act, and also, we dropped two thirds of our national anthem because, well, we really couldn't be bothered singing the entire thing. It's like, we're... America on opposite day.

    --
    Commodore64_love: I don't comprehend people who're so frightened of death that they'll bankrupt themselves to stay alive
  9. All you yanks can come crash at my place... by EvilCabbage · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... Hey, at least here in Australia we have nice beaches and beautiful women and our governing body is just stupid, not totally morally corrupt. Yet.

  10. Re:Anyone get the feeling... by hey! · · Score: 2, Funny

    What are you, as an American, doing to stop this from happening to your country?

    Well, I voted against the bozos in the last election, and tried to convince everybody I could to do the same. ;-)

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  11. They can't subpoena MY information... by Mori+Chu · · Score: 2, Funny
    But the proposal appears to grant the FBI more power to seek information from banks, hospitals, libraries, and so on through "administrative subpoenas" without prior judicial oversight. The subpoenas are only supposed to be used for terrorism or clandestine intelligence cases.

    I'm one step ahead of them. I chose Citibank, so my information has already been leaked!

  12. Re:Anyone get the feeling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    I'm just glad I'm a Freemason.

    When the shit really hits the fan over the course of the next few years I'll be part of the ruling elite. And there won't be any bloody revolution to worry about this time, thanks to a complete control over technology and over most simple, placated minds.

    First the US and then the New World Order. It's better this way. For our own good we can't allow population and energy needs to grow unchecked and we can't allow biotech, nanotechnology and other dangerous technology to continue to be developed outside of our guidance where it would be in the wrong hands.

    If you seek the light you will know this to be true.

  13. Re:Short said: by Rumagent · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sadly the current american administration doesn't care about international treaties.

    But we welcome the highly skilled americans who wish to join us in Euroland:)

  14. Re:Anyone get the feeling... by Adrilla · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sorry about that, I got a little worked up by the article and saw straight past the joke. I have a sense of humor, I promise, and next time I might even use it (but that remains to be seen).

    --

    "Plans are for fools! Oglethorpe, the plutonian (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)
  15. Re:Short said: by Patrik_AKA_RedX · · Score: 4, Funny

    Perfect revenge:
    1)Note the names of every assho^H^H^H^H^HPolitician who voted for this.
    2)Join the Gesta..., euh, FBI.
    3)Serve said politicians a nice spoonfull of their own medicine.
    4)Don't forget to videotape them.
    5)Wait, while this shit is voted back out of excistance.
    6)Sell the DVD.
    7)Profit!

  16. Re:So what are the options here... by meringuoid · · Score: 3, Funny
    Quite right. Time to change the process required for a constitutional amendment so that only a bare majority need to agree. Requiring 75% is anti-democratic.

    You do not go far enough. For freedom and democracy to prevail, we should carry it further. Why should some old piece of paper block the will of the majority elected government? A constitution is inherently tyrannical; it says that there are things that the government, elected by the people, cannot do. What an insult to the principles of liberty that we hold dear!

    If the government, voted in by the people, wishes to pass a law then it should be able to do so. That's democracy. Anything else is liberal tyranny and should be abolished.

    --
    Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
  17. Re:Anyone get the feeling... by KiroDude · · Score: 2, Funny

    People get up in the morning, commute for a couple hours, work for ten or twelve hours, telecommute for a couple more hours. Feed the family. Pay the bills. Try and save a bit for retirement (or children's education, etc). Fix the broken shit in the house. Spend quality time with the kids and wife. Get some rest before doing it all again the next day.

    .... And then dance and drink and screw, because there's nothing left to do ...

  18. Re:How Very Orwellian... by ElaborateCalculator · · Score: 2, Funny

    Eurasian spies are everywhere....

    It's Eastasian spies, we have always been at war with Eastasia.
    Please call into the Ministry of Love on your way home

    --
    --darren
  19. Re:Anyone get the feeling... by winsomecowboy · · Score: 3, Funny

    "America - Land of the Not As Bad As North Korea" Thats this mornings Tshirt.

    --
    Quantifying chaos since 63
  20. Re:Home of the brave... by Godboy_g · · Score: 2, Funny

    That is if you can call american beer beer.

    --
    I LIKE TOAST!!!
  21. Re:Gulag's? by CarrotLord · · Score: 4, Funny

    I have a wonderful visual image of a band of swedish chefs rising up and saying "De hurdy gurdy patriot acten is badden-flaggen" ...

    Or did you mean "kooks"? http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=kooks

    --
    Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.
  22. Re:Anyone get the feeling... by jacksonj04 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Allow me to introduce my friend, Sarcasm. Sarcasm meet Anonymous Coward #29483

    --
    How many people can read hex if only you and dead people can read hex?
  23. Let's not argue, people... by renderhead · · Score: 2, Funny

    There's more than enough tyranny for both Russia and America to sink into dictatorships! Why be greedy?

    --
    I wish that my inferiority complex were as good as yours.

    -RenderHead

  24. Re:Gulag's? by Koiu+Lpoi · · Score: 2, Funny

    *bing!* Dark side points gained.

  25. Re:Anyone get the feeling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    yore - aint now
    your - aint mine
    you're - first part of ".. a redneck if"

    there - aint here
    their - aint our
    they're - first part of "... coming to take you away"

  26. you got euro-served by itcomesinwaves · · Score: 2, Funny

    from Eddie Izzard:

    "Two languages in one head? No one can live at that speed!"
    "But the Dutch speak three languages and smoke marijuana..."
    "Yes, but they're cheating"

  27. You didn't hear this from me, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
    (Thomas Jefferson)

    It's a sad day when I feel so nervous quoting a founding father. Oh, crap. I hope they can't subpeona people with this, in addition to documents. My wife probably wouldn't risk a year in prison to let anyone know...