Senate Proposes Patriot Act Extension

geekylinuxkid writes "Senate leaders reached a bipartisan agreement Wednesday night to extend expiring and controversial provisions of the Patriot Act for six months. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Republican from Tennessee, announced the agreement from the Senate floor, ending an impasse over the measure." From the article: "Last week, the House voted 251-174 to renew the 16 provisions after striking a compromise that altered some of them. The provisions were set to expire at year's end if not renewed. Controversial measures include those allowing the FBI -- with a court order -- to obtain secret warrants for business, library, medical and other records, and to get a wiretap on every phone a suspect uses." More commentary on the BBC. We reported on last week's failure of the original renewal.

Comments

Re:Why is a warrant needed?

[tenchiken]

Please try and keep up:

Take a look at this: http://www.washtimes.com/national/20051222-122610- 7772r.htm

Swing vote

[amightywind]

This is not what I hoped for, but 6 months is probably the best the republicans can get for now. After all, 2006 is election year and everyone is switching into CYA mode. This will only hit the garbage can AFTER we elect a democratically controlled senate/house.

Your hopes are pinned on the likes of Howard 'White Flag' Dean being able to garner the swing vote. Hmm, swing vote and Howard Dean, not two words you often find used together. I am hopeful Dean and his ilk will alienate the electorate again and that America will grow redder. A filibuster proof Senate majority would be nice. Then we can and we can really get something done. What I find really inexplicable about the agreement is that the ANWR was dropped. Hopefully Senator Frist will reattach it to some Democrat sacred cow legislation so we can actually do something to increase our domestic oil supplies.

Re:Someone please explain

[sycodon]

He has the authority to do it:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-051 2210142dec21,0,3553632.story?coll=chi-newsopinionc ommentary-hed

It's the necessary thing to do:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/20 05-12-21-bush-spying-edit-yes_x.htm

It's been done before by your pals Clinton and Carter
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20051222-122610- 7772r.htm

You are all for it when it serves your politics :
http://realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-12_21_ 05_MM.html

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A Troll post for a Troll post.

Re:Extending our Freedom to be Safe? Or Spyed on?

[Council]

One of the provisions I agree with [. . .] has already infringed on many peoples freedom, but has also opened up the government to be more scrutinous in the case of certain suspicious entities. Has it overall had a positive or negative effect? Since we as the general public cannot easily gauge what information they have collected entirely as a result, who can say for sure.

Please read this paragraph carefully, as I think it speaks volumes.