27 February, 2010

Obama Signs Patriot Act Extension

For more than 2 years Barack Obama ripped and criticized then President Bush and the Republican party for the Patriot Act. Now that he is sitting in the Oval Office he apparently sees things differently, as very quietly Saturday afternoon while the world was focused on the earthquake in Chile and the possible tsunami waves to hit Hawaii, Japan and other places, Obama signed a one year extension to the Patriot Act that otherwise would have expired on Sunday. The view from the White House has obviously caused Obama to see the benefits of the Patriot Act out weigh the drawbacks. He certainly did not want his supporters to know his actions, and the fact of the matter is, that if it were not for Fox News, he would have done this in complete secrecy. I did a quick scan of the websites of MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CNN and CBS and Fox. Fox alone carried the story. Anyone else smell the stench coming from the media outlets that are in the pocket of this President and the Democratic party?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

A Corrupt U.S. Government, Could Use National Security Letters under the Patriot Act—As A Political/Economic Weapon.

Currently in the name of fighting terrorism, U.S. Government can use National Security Letters to search a Citizen’s private information and records without having to provide specific facts—the person’s information sought pertains to a foreign power or agent of a foreign power. Government can impose National Security Letters without probable cause on your employer, your business client(s) credit card providers, even your relationships. After you receive a National Security Letter, under current law you cant tell anyone. National Security Letters if used by a tyrannical U.S. Government, could be very threatening to Americans when you consider methods used by other governments. For example in rising Nazi Germany, the Gestapo routinely targeted and damaged business people and companies that refused to support the Nazis Party by—interrogating their customers—about them. Expectantly targeted business people and companies found it difficult to make a living after their customers and clients were frightened away by Gestapo interrogators. Some German corporations were connected to the Gestapo and used the Gestapo to frighten their business rivals’ customers away to take their business. In the same manner that Nazis intimidated their opposition, a corrupt U.S. Government could use National Security Letters to intimidate Americans exercising their First Amendment Activities. Congress needs to pass laws that are more binding, prevent Government using National Security Letters to investigate Americans without first demonstrating a clear standard of probable cause.

Darrell said...

And your point is? Folks like you railed on G.W. Bush for the Patriot Act, as did Obama. But now he quietly signs an extension? What is to be made of this? Could it be that once this brash,young President got into office and discovered just how little he actually knew and realized that while at face value he despised the Patriot Act, upon further investigation and gained knowledge he saw that it is a reluctant necessity to protect the masses? Something obviously changed his mind, and he does not want "his people" to know what he has done, so he does it on the sly.