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Texas Bills Would Bar Warrantless Snooping On Phone Location
pigrabbitbear writes "The Supreme Court may have approved the warrantless wiretapping of American citizens for just about forever, but the good old state of Texas isn't going to take that lying down. Texas lawmakers don't believe that cell phone location data is fair game for law enforcement, and a couple identical bills filed in Texas's House and Senate would provide sweeping protections for private cell users."
This isn't necessary anyway. Not when everyone willingly reports their location to Facebook and Twitter every time they need to brag about every bite of whatever they're eating. Or every bowel movement afterward.
First you're incredibly regressive (say, dealing with reproductive rights) and then you do something pretty cool.
All of these questions about what requires a warrant should be obvious. If civilians can do it without any special authorization, then it's fine for law enforcement to do it. If law enforcement expects special access due to their authority, then that special access needs a warrant.
Any exceptions should be clearly stated in law, such as access to criminal and DMV databases.
Actually, Texas has a higher standard for search and seizure protection and has for decades. Ask anyone who works in criminal defense (I used to there), the standard for criminal cases in Texas isn't the US Constitution, it is the Texas Constitution.
Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
Are you kidding? While I think this has little to do with the discussion, your statement is completely idiotic. The United States was attacked on 9/11. Texas is a small (albeit larger than most) part of the whole. We all got hit.
While we're on the topic of warrantless wiretaps, there's something I've been trying to figure out.
Bush starts the warrantless wiretap thing, the reaction from the left is to fume with anger at the horrible abuse of power.
Obama continues it and adds in the whole "assassinate Americans using robotic aircraft" twist, and reaction from the same people is "I support the President on this, though I have mild reservations on a few aspects".
My question is... what the heck is up with that?
A lot of people are confused about how this sort of law could be passed in Texas, which according to left-wing groupthink is a regressive bible-thumping gun-toting desert filled with rednecks who hate Darwin and force kids to pray in school.
This, of course, is nonsense. Much of the anti-Texas sentiment results from fundamental ideological differences that go to the core of the "left" versus "right" arguments.
Texans, for very valid historical reasons, have a deep seated mistrust of centralized government and authority. This can be seen in pretty much every part of our culture, especially our constitution and court systems. This way of thinking, of course, is a direct attack on everything that those on the "left" believe in. Even worse, the evidence clearly shows that our way of governing and beliefs work very well - from tort reform, to right to work, to zero income tax (just to name a few) we have a state that cherishes individual liberty, resists government interference, and we have one of the best economies in the world to show for it.
The success of Texas is a sore tooth to those on the "left". As a result, they are forced to rely on ad-hominem attacks and mischaracterization in a defensive attempt to protect and justify their beliefs, even though even casual comparisons of the success of cities and states that implement those beliefs shows that they are clearly misguided.
The fact is, disturbing as it may seem to those on the "left", Texas is beautiful, tolerant, friendly and a wonderful place to live. I moved my family here from the east coast seven years ago, and it was one of the best decisions we've ever made.
This law is just another example (among many) of Texas following in its long tradition of codifying individual rights and protecting liberties. Yes, Texas has some black marks in it's history - but show me a state (or country) that doesn't!
There is a reason why people from all over the country are flooding here, and why we gained four seats in the house in 2010. As much vitriol, misrepresentation and flat out lying that those on the "left" do about Texas, the truth is becoming more and more evident to those around the country, that just as once the United States was the place that people fled to in order to escape oppressive government, now Texas has become a safe haven within the U.S. for the same reasons.
Drinking habits can be dangerous. You can choke on the cloth and the nuns will wonder where their clothes are.
Exactly the same as anywhere else in the US, since patents are covered by federal law.
My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.
So is a bullet to the head or sterilization.
Cheap propaganda shock tactic, typical of a coward who knows their ideas do not withstand scrutiny. A truly ham-handed opening move.
Abortion is not perfect solution, not even good.
Attacking a straw man. And also you missed word there.
Second, there's always damage to the body, she can become sterile, or the next pregnancies become high-risk.
All of which can result from pregnancy. This is irrelevant unless you're going to show that on average having a legal, state-sponsored and -monitored abortion is more dangerous than a pregnancy under the same system.
women have a time limit until they can decide to have children, in a modern society, that's less than 20 years.
Irrelevant. It's their decision whether to even exercise that right.
We're humans damn it, sentient beings, not rabbits to breed just because there's food available.
Logical fallacy, appeal to emotion. Technique of propaganda, just plain folks. Also, refer to my prior response.
The government should look out for it's citizens, not it's bottom line.
Which is what it is doing when it provides them the means to abort a pregnancy they do not want. It looks out for them by providing them choice and it looks out for you by considering your financial concerns and it looks out for both of you by not brining more unwanted lives into the world.
Also, you misused apostrophes twice in your closing sentence. Snicker.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
No its not. I've never heard a single progressive politician proposing a law that says that. Perhaps you could let me know.
Progressive laws:
You are too dumb to save for retirement, we will take your money and give it back as we see fit and call it Social Security.
You are too dumb to medical take care of yourself, we will take your money and give it back as we see fit and call it Medicare/Medicaid
You are too fat, we will ban sodas larger than 16 oz.
You are too dumb to protect yourself, you should not be allowed to have a gun.
You are too dumb to give your political opinion on TV, we will prevent you from putting on TV commericals for a candidate 90 days before an election.
You are too dumb to develop your property correctly, we will seize it and give it to a mall developer because then the government will get more in taxes.
You are too useless to get a job, we will take money from others and pay you not to work for 2 years straight.
You are too dumb to get an ID, we will let anyone vote just by saying their name and pretend voter fraud never happens.
Those are the progressive laws I know about and that they brag about day after day.
Well, i'm Tony, and I speak for ALL liberals. I asked, they're OK with me speaking for them.
We're NOT ok with Obama's continuing of the warrantless wiretapping, and we're NOT ok with the whole "assassinate Americans without a trial" (robots or no). We're actually pretty pissed about it. If you listened to us at all, you'd have noticed that.
Actually, I'm pretty pissed at the Democratic party. I can count on my fingers the number of representatives that I consider to be liberal. The rest are just... well look, you have the same thing over there. There's often a big difference from the stances the Republican Party holds and the stances of an actual real conservative person.
Remember, we're people too. Not stereotypes. You Hick. :P