The Senate did not vote on the final passage of the extension of the Patriot Act today. That vote is coming soon – this week, after a short debate.
There was, however, a vote on the Patriot Act renewal in the Senate today, and with it, there was an opportunity to stop the continuation of the law’s regime of Big Brother spying. It was a vote to move the Patriot Act extension forward, so that it can be passed by the Senate.
Only eight senators had the integrity to vote against moving the Patriot Act extension forward, 4 Democrats, 3 Republicans, and 1 independent. They were:
Max Baucus of Montana
Mark Begich of Alaska
Dean Heller of Nevada
Jeff Merkley of Oregon
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Rand Paul of Kentucky
Bernard Sanders of Vermont
Jon Tester of Montana
Why, you may ask, should we be bothered by the impending passage of an extension of the Patriot Act? Here’s a summary of the major points:
1. The Patriot Act spying powers are almost never related to alleged acts of terrorism. 99.6 percent of the time, the worst surveillance powers of the Patriot Act are used to intrude on the lives of people who are not even suspected of any connection to terrorism at all.
2. Even in just a limited number of years, with only some of the relevant documents revealed, tens of thousands of abuses of the Patriot Act have been revealed.
3. The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, the government body that is supposed to keep Americans protected from the spying powers of the Patriot Act, never meets, has no members, and done none of the work that it is supposed to do. The White House and Senate have cooperated in keeping this board shut down.
4. The Patriot Act’s extreme surveillance powers plainly violate the requirements of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, which forbids unreasonable search and seizure, and requires that search warrants identify the particular people and places that are to be targeted.
A true patriot would take any opportunity to stand against this law. Unfortunately, patriots are extremely scarce in the U.S. Senate these days.
Thank you rand paul you and the other 7 senators that tried to speak for the american people.We may have failed to get the votes but it was a victory by forceing them to show their true colors.They should start packing
Or start speaking for the people.Becuse their next ellection could and will be their last
Note: this is information on a preliminary Patriot Act roll call vote on May 23, 2011. Roll call analysis on the final May 26 2011 passage of Patriot Act reauthorization will be posted shortly in our articles for May 26, and onward in our articles for May 27.
To see the list of men, and women that voted for the Patriot Act is sobering, as it is the truth of who these people are…AGAINST AMERICANS! They can make a decision to put the lives of every American in the hands of a government that lies, and then lies some more to cover up their lives. This is a sad day for me, as I believe in GOD, America, Americans. These Americans that have voted against their own people…Americans have lied, and broken the promise to uphold the Constitution of America. This is destructive, and takes the right of every individual that could, and have been innocent with this terrorist activity. I am sorry for all those that have gone against GOD’S children as they will be accountable for what they do to destroy America, and the GOD given Freedom of Americans. It is my duty, and obligation as an American Citizen to stand strong for the Laws written to protect Americans. As Patrick Henry…”The Constitution is NOT an Instrument for the Government to restrain people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government-lest it comes to dominate our lives and interests.” They have voted in an Act that is not patriotic, but will dominate our lives and interests. Shame on them. GOD bless, and IN HIS NAME JESUS I STAND STRONG!
who is the patriot act good for,only those who hopped boarders,why should they have free college when the vets and those who put there lives on the line for this country, and why should they have any more right than those who are born and raised here,this bill is highly discriminatory,i do not care if buddy george wants it or not,it should be deemed unconstitutional due to discrimination and favoritism,this bill does not promote equality under the law,it is an insult to veterans and there children,americans who have to get loans to go to college,and those who have loved ones who died in the war,they did not die to give fence hoppers more rights than us,nor did i serve to give away more rights than i,this is not a freedom act,it is a act of folly against the american people by congressmen and senators with bleeding harts with no respect for fellow americans,you can tell that by the way they acted on the debt crises,we have more work to do at the polls,get rid of the incumbent
i did not think it would,you do not sponcer freedom of the press,only when it fits your ajenda,you should name your paper,the socialist