House re-authorized PATRIOT Act

[Frank Badfinger]

So much for the #Resistance! While all eyes were on impeachment hearing, House re-authorized PATRIOT Act
RT
House Democrats have slipped an unqualified renewal of the draconian PATRIOT Act into an emergency funding bill – voting near-unanimously for sweeping surveillance carte blanche that was the basis for the notorious NSA program.

A three-month reauthorization of the notorious PATRIOT Act was shoehorned into a last-minute continuing resolution (CR) funding the US government, bundling measures needed to avert yet another government shutdown with a continuation of the wildly-intrusive surveillance powers passed after the 9/11 terror attacks. Democrats voted almost unanimously for it, granting the far-reaching surveillance capabilities to the very same president they’re trying to impeach.

A roll-call vote on the bill was split exactly along party lines, with all 230 Democrats standing up for unconstitutional mass surveillance – including progressives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota), who spoke out against it earlier. Two other Democrats opted not to vote, but not a single representative dared oppose party groupthink.
More story:
https://www.rt.com/usa/473842-patriot-act-betrayal-democrats-house/

 

[DavidSon]

It's strange the 20 dems who, 3 weeks ago, signed a letter threatening to vote against authorization unless the reforms to section 215 were implemented, now accepted the bill. I looked at a few of their twitter accounts and there's nothing about it. Disappointing, they're falling to the depths of the Republicans.

We should remember it's Drumph and the Republican senate who are the main opponent to reform:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/technology/lawmakers-push-for-changes-to-the-patriot-act

"The Trump administration and many Republicans in Congress have pushed for reauthorization of the expiring Patriot Act sections without changes. The Patriot Act, after it was amended in 2015 by the USA Freedom Act, “preserves significant national security authorities, enhances privacy and civil liberties protections, and increases transparency,” Joseph Maguire, the acting director of national intelligence, said in September. The current law “provides us with the necessary tools to keep Americans safe.”

Also a really good write-up yesterday about section 215 and the extension of surveillance authorities:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/11/house-lawmakers-extend-section-215-next-year-even-though-they-had-years-stop

At least there's one Democrat who's openly opposed the Patriot act since 2001: Bernie Sanders.:

"I voted against extending the Patriot Act today for the same reason I voted against enacting it in 2001: it gives the government far too much power to spy on innocent United States citizens and provides for very little oversight or disclosure. While we must aggressively pursue international terrorists and all of those who would do us harm, we must do it in a way that protects the Constitution and the civil liberties which make us proud to be Americans."

 

[A.J.]

Why I will never trust our government. No respect for its citizens and no true representation. It doesn’t matter who the president is. Until the federal reserve, intelligence agency apparatus, judicial activists, military-industrial complex and unlimited terms for public office (along with our 2-party system)are all demolished in favor of the restoration of a true constitutional form of government, we will always be slaves to satanic interests.

 

[Frank Badfinger]

It's strange the 20 dems who, 3 weeks ago, signed a letter threatening to vote against authorization unless the reforms to section 215 were implemented, now accepted the bill. I looked at a few of their twitter accounts and there's nothing about it. Disappointing, they're falling to the depths of the Republicans.

Despite all the drama and theatrics aimed at the public, behind closed doors both parties act as one.

 

[TempestOfTempo]

So much for the #Resistance! While all eyes were on impeachment hearing, House re-authorized PATRIOT Act
RT
House Democrats have slipped an unqualified renewal of the draconian PATRIOT Act into an emergency funding bill – voting near-unanimously for sweeping surveillance carte blanche that was the basis for the notorious NSA program.

A three-month reauthorization of the notorious PATRIOT Act was shoehorned into a last-minute continuing resolution (CR) funding the US government, bundling measures needed to avert yet another government shutdown with a continuation of the wildly-intrusive surveillance powers passed after the 9/11 terror attacks. Democrats voted almost unanimously for it, granting the far-reaching surveillance capabilities to the very same president they’re trying to impeach.

A roll-call vote on the bill was split exactly along party lines, with all 230 Democrats standing up for unconstitutional mass surveillance – including progressives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota), who spoke out against it earlier. Two other Democrats opted not to vote, but not a single representative dared oppose party groupthink.
More story:
https://www.rt.com/usa/473842-patriot-act-betrayal-democrats-house/

Time for some industrial-strength scrutiny on AOC and Ilhan. For reals. Not some kook-theory about her going back in time and marrying her brother and not some pointless tweets..... Im referring to their actions since taking office and how those actions stack up against their campaign promises and rhetoric.

 

[DavidSon]

Despite all the drama and theatrics aimed at the public, behind closed doors both parties act as one.

You sure that isn't the line we're all being sucked into believing? That "they" are all demons and illuminati? I'm losing interest in the "evil government" conspo theories. We are people governing ourselves through natural democratic methods. The real crime is 50% of US citizens don't vote. We have a choice to refuse to work, refuse to take out a mortgage. We could storm the streets and force the bankers and billionaires to share what's rightfully ours. With enough voices we could make our elected officials heed our demands but people are asleep.

There are outliers within the two parties and independents too. I see stark differences between politicians. The best investigative journalists chase down an individual's track record over their full career; we can study who is who, what they stand for. Sanders just tweeted that the Israeli occupation is illegal- how is he the same as Marco Rubio? I think we have to evaluate on a one-on-one basis.

I say this with conviction because the RT article was false. The final vote result on HR3055 was 231-192. 10 Democrats voted nay.

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2019/roll631.xml

Why was Russia Times so careless with their reporting on the progressive democrats? And why are independents so eager to buy into the smear campaign against candidates with at least half way decent values?

Progressives Oppose Spending Stopgap Measures Over Surveillance Authority Measures

"I believe that reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act poses such a grave threat to Americans, especially people of color, that I led a letter to the House Judiciary Committee opposing its reauthorization before robust, progressive reforms were made to prevent the continued misuse of its broad and intrusive reach," Tlaib said in the statement."

 

[Frank Badfinger]

You sure that isn't the line we're all being sucked into believing? That "they" are all demons and illuminati? I'm losing interest in the "evil government" conspo theories.

Huh??? I'm sorry, I missed where I wrote that...right, I didn't. So stop with the ad hominem BS! You make shit up and attach it to me and then answer your own argument as if I really said what you wrote.

 

[DavidSon]

Huh??? I'm sorry, I missed where I wrote that...right, I didn't. So stop with the ad hominem BS! You make shit up and attach it to me and then answer your own argument as if I really said what you wrote.

Sorry I should have separated my rant, after the first part of the reply, into its own post. I am stating my concern over the trends I see to divide people from legitimate solutions, but at this point you're the one deflecting with argumentum ad hominem:

" Ad hominem typically refers to a fallacious argumentative strategy whereby genuine discussion of the topic at hand is avoided by instead attacking the character, motive, or other attribute of the person making the argument, or persons associated with the argument, rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself."

How was I attacking your character? The first sentence of my reply was a question of your statement. I would agree both parties act similar behind closed doors on certain measures, but to imagine all officials are the same feeds an agenda to distance the public from political engagement. Let's be real about the intention to smear "the Squad" and the lies within that RT article:

"A roll-call vote on the bill was split exactly along party lines, with all 230 Democrats standing up for unconstitutional mass surveillance – including progressives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota), who spoke out against it earlier. Two other Democrats opted not to vote, but not a single representative dared oppose party groupthink."

So any thoughts about articles spreading misinformation? I've seen news articles lately that are either misleading or straight up lies (especially from alt-right sources)- they should be called out for what they are.

 

[Frank Badfinger]

Sorry I should have separated my rant, after the first part of the reply, into its own post.

Apology accepted. I'm moving on.

 

[A.J.]

I still think we should vote, but we need to continue to discern. If the core of the system is corrupt ....

This is quite alarming, no matter how you identify. Obama, Bush & Clinton are the true squad... DEEP STATE – SHADOW GOVERNMENT REVEALED: SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE https://aim4truth.org/2018/01/03/deep-state-shadow-government-revealed-senior-executive-service/

 

[DavidSon]

I still think we should vote, but we need to continue to discern. If the core of the system is corrupt ....

This is quite alarming, no matter how you identify. Obama, Bush & Clinton are the true squad... DEEP STATE – SHADOW GOVERNMENT REVEALED: SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE https://aim4truth.org/2018/01/03/deep-state-shadow-government-revealed-senior-executive-service/

Really important information, thanks. The meme has to be posted and shared-

WE NEED TO TAKE MEASURES TO END THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE AND TOPPLE THE DEEP STATE SHADOW GOVERNMENT THAT HAS 8,156 OPERATIVES IN 75 FEDERAL AGENCIES

 

[saki]

 

[UnderAlienControl]

Congress must investigate why America was lied to about Afghanistan for all these years – Gabbard

Congress must investigate why America was lied to about Afghanistan for all these years – Gabbard

Presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard pledged to seek a congressional inquiry into the Afghanistan war after a damning report said US officials have been lying about what has been happening there since the US occupation began.

www.rt.com

 

[saki]

Congress must investigate why America was lied to about Afghanistan for all these years – Gabbard

Congress must investigate why America was lied to about Afghanistan for all these years – Gabbard

Presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard pledged to seek a congressional inquiry into the Afghanistan war after a damning report said US officials have been lying about what has been happening there since the US occupation began.

www.rt.com

...Eisenhower warned us to beware the Military-Industrial Complex.... too bad nobody listened, or took him seriously....
Lying by Bush and Obama over Afghanistan is this era’s Pentagon Papers
By Maureen Callahan
December 14, 2019

Lying by Bush and Obama over Afghanistan is this era’s Pentagon Papers

On Monday, The Washington Post published a bombshell six-part series exposing the Bush and Obama administrations for knowingly and repeatedly lying to the American public about the war in Afghanist…

nypost.com

***intro excerpt... the entire opinion piece is quite shocking... at link...***

Here we now have 2,000 pages of previously secret documents containing interviews with more than 600 people, from decorated generals to intelligence officers to senior White House officials to ambassadors to aid workers to NATO allies to 20 Afghan officials, all telling the same story.

This war, 18 years old, the longest in American history, no end in sight, is unwinnable. It always will be. But the people who send our young men and women to die there, to suffer grave physical injuries, to return with PTSD that can’t be successfully treated or to commit suicide — at a record rate of twenty veterans per day — have known it all along. And they have lied and manipulated numbers and have kept using our troops as cannon fodder to be seen as tough on the War on Terror and win second terms in office.

Lying by Bush and Obama over Afghanistan is this era’s Pentagon Papers

On Monday, The Washington Post published a bombshell six-part series exposing the Bush and Obama administrations for knowingly and repeatedly lying to the American public about the war in Afghanist…

nypost.com

 

[TempestOfTempo]

It was the punk Dems that just rolled over and gave this up..... the "resistance" right? More like the "assistance".......

 

[saki]

...and for what?.... so Raytheon and Northrop/Grumman could sell some more munitions? and achieve their sales goals?....

‘Paying our respects’: Volunteers lay holiday wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery - Washington Examiner

As Todd Raffensberger and his family walked by the graves at Arlington National Cemetery on a wet and foggy Saturday morning, they took a moment to pay special attention to one marked with the name Cole Spennati. They saw that a wreath was on the soldier's grave, reverently placed by a...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

 

[UnderAlienControl]

 

[UnderAlienControl]

From Vietnam to Afghanistan, all US governments lie

US officials have consistently lied over decades about progress in the Afghanistan war. The lies are no surprise, writes a foreign affairs scholar – but they have profound consequences.

theconversation.com