The only thing we hate more than government pouring money down the crapper is telling us that it needs to violate our civil liberties in order to protect us from ourselves.
That’s complete and total bullsh*t. Sort of like when former U.S. President George W. Bush convinced a sufficient number of “Republicans” that our government had to abandon the free market in order to save it – at which point commenced the largest, costliest government intervention in human history.
It’s also complete and total bullsh*t that the U.S. House of Representatives closed its doors for only the sixth time in history in 2008 when it last re-authorized its domestic spying program.
America spends billions of dollars (most of it classified spending) to maintain an elaborate intelligence network. “A hidden world, growing beyond control,” The Washington Post said in an exclusive report last summer called “Top Secret America.”
“”The top-secret world the government created in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that no one knows how much money it costs, how many people it employs, how many programs exist within it or exactly how many agencies do the same work,” the report concluded.
This secrecy (with respect to both cost and infringement of liberty) is among the reasons we vigorously oppose the following domestic spying tools …
*authorization for the government to continue using roving wiretaps on surveillance targets
*authorization for the government to access “any tangible items” in investigation surveillance targets
*authorization to monitor surveillance targets not affiliated with any known terrorist organization
These provisions are flagrantly anti-American, and the fact that they are being touted as necessary for the preservation of freedom shows how dangerously perverse our post-9/11 logic has become.
It’s also proof positive that the asymmetrical warfare of our enemies has succeeded in forcing us to abandon what we claim to stand for in order to save ourselves – as if all the government groping that goes on when you’re trying to board an airplane these days wasn’t sufficient evidence.
Frankly, we’re disappointed that every single Republican Congressman from the “bright red” state of South Carolina voted to extend these controversial provisions. We knew that U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson was nothing but a stooge for George W. Bush’s brand of high-cost, low-liberty “Republicanism,” but we expected better from newly-elected Reps. Tim Scott, Mick Mulvaney and Jeff Duncan.
We were also disappointed to see self-proclaimed “Tea Party Caucus” leader Michele Bachmann vote in favor of the re-authorization.
Shame on all of them …
All told, only 26 Republicans demonstrated the courage to vote against this measure – which was enough to block its passage by seven votes. Not surprisingly, the mainstream media is already blaming the Tea Party for its defeat – choosing to ignore the fact that 122 Democrats also voted against re-authorization.
Look, we get that this is a dangerous world – and we understand that one of the few core functions of government at all levels is to “provide for the common defense.” We’ve also been more vocal than most media outlets about the futility of America trying to fight wars with one hand behind its back.
But while there are undoubtedly terrorist threats on our own soil, we cannot use that as an excuse to trample over our inalienable rights.
That’s a slippery slope that leads to totalitarianism.
This country was built on freedom and free markets – not on domestic spying programs and government bailouts paid for with money we don’t have.
Domestic Spying: Is the Price Worth the Sacrifice of Privacy?
***
By OhNoNotAgain February 9, 2011 at 11:52 am
You wrote in another post the other day that this is no longer the land of the free and home of the brave.
So what do you care?
I agree that those three provisions of the Patriot Act are heinous, and congrats to all who voted against suspending normal rules to renew.
But they aren’t dead. They can still go through normal channels, and THAT vote will be the real decider.
By Old Bike Dude February 9, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Fits when will you realize that the Tea Party never was. At every turn, including here in Beaufort county where our council is poised to bail out a private investment to the tune of $2.5 million, the once vociferous Tea Party is now screamed down by crickets chirping. Local pols love the Tea Party after all they are so easily satisfied. Just be white and preach tax cuts and they will chant “two legs bad, four legs good”, until the opposition throws their hands up and walks away.
By Matt February 9, 2011 at 1:03 pm
Kudos to Jeff Duncan, Tim Scott, and Mick Mulvaney for standing up for real conservatism – which is not simply about low taxes and limited government but also about defending our national security without fail. It’s ideological liberals and libertarians that would have people believe that everyone is somehow a “terorist surveillance target” under the Patriot Act and that some government spy is monitoring our every move. Not true, obviously. As a conservative, I am more concerned with protecting the freedom and security of the American people than I am with giving into some made-up controversy concerning whether or not we are infringing of the “rights” of terrorists or those associated with them.
By dirtbogger February 9, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Fits, you did good but there a few more roads that you need to explore mainly 9-11 being an inside job.
By Ken E. February 9, 2011 at 3:39 pm
I was just waiting for Mulvaney to toe the Republican establishment line against his libertarian principles. Here is vote #1.
By Old Bike Dude February 9, 2011 at 3:44 pm
Matt I’m trying to understand you. Are basically saying that those in favor of the Patriot Act are pussies who fear the boogeyman under their bed?
By Jeff Betsch February 9, 2011 at 3:48 pm
Here is what Rep. Duncan Said on his Facebook page… I think this is clear enough and if FITS can not understand after reading this then your clueless..
“My apologies to all about posting yesterday to ask your opinion about reauthorization of the Patriot Act. It madeit appear to many following on FB that the vote yesterday was to “reauthorize” the Act. It was not.
I will vote against the Patriot Act.
Yesterday’s vote was to extend three sections of the Act until Dec. 8th. Those sections deal with foreign nationals. This extension gives the new Congress an opportunity to have oversight into the Act – which I want. I will inject myself into this issue on the Committees that I am on.
There were varying opinions on what Congress should do. The Cato Institute was against it…the Heritage Foundation was in favor….both groups are Conservative think-tank and advocacy groups which I respect. TEA Party Congressmen and Congresswomen were split as well….with Michelle Bachmann, Tom Price, Ted Poe, Steve King and many others supporting this extension.
Here is the bill: To extend expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 and Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 relating to access to business records, individual terrorists as agents of foreign powers, and roving wiretaps until December 8, 2011
(Roving wire taps appears bad until you see that it is defined for multiple cell phones that terrorist are using.)
I want to be involved in the debate to insure that American liberties are not trampled – and have always said that the Patriot Act should have biannual review of all cases investigated under the Act by a Congressional oversight committee.
Sorry for the confusion with many thinking the vote was purely on The Patriot Act as a whole – which it was not.”
~ Jeff Duncan
By Hooray for cowards! February 9, 2011 at 3:49 pm
It is impossible for gov’t to keep us 100% safe in most cases. Those “conservatives” that don’t realize this or ignore the fact need to grow a pair of balls and come to terms with the fact that living life comes with a set of risks that may involve your death on a daily basis. You’re chances of being killed by a cop are higher then being killed by a terrorist.(true!)
By the NEOCON definition of “safe” then we should consider disarming all cops to reduce this risk.
Ron Paul said it best in his speech prior to the vote for re-authorization, paraphrased he said that if gov’t wanted to stop wife beatings and child molestation that could pass a law to put camera’s in every persons home and in every room. But at what point is enough, ENOUGH?
(video of the speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAIqtwwUcBk)
They might be successful in stopping most of the beatings and molestations…but do you want to live in a society like 1984?
Most NEOCONS don’t seem to mind, but they are cowards(and that goes for Dems too). Not only that, the “conservative” label they wear around their neck doesn’t fit the definition consisently because they are certainly not conserving money(as all this “security” is costing big bucks) let alone conserving liberty.
Benjamin Franklin said it best to these type of cowards:
“Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
By Jeff Betsch February 9, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Here is the link to the Note from Rep. Duncan’s FB page.
http://www.facebook.com/notes/jeff-duncan/the-patriot-act/498620518494
By eggaday February 9, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Sic, you already gave up your freedom, remember? I told you so in 2009 when you chose to protect “your ally”.
By Godslayer February 9, 2011 at 5:20 pm
This is an issue where the libertarian right and the libertarian left need to come together (as did Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich) to resist authoritarianism as epitomized by the “Patriot” Act Traditional “liberals” and “conservatives” are both authoritarian in outlook, as they want the government to eliminate fundamental freedoms (for liberals it’s usually guns, for conservatives it’s abortion, birth control, porn, dildos, and anything sex-related), and cannot be trusted to protect them. Do we really want to let the FBI know what books we are reading?
By 1Patriot February 9, 2011 at 5:27 pm
What is truly ridiculous is spending billions of dollars on security and not securing our borders. It was just luck that the radical muslim trying to enter the USA in the trunk of a car was caught last week. If the dipshit had walked across out in the boondocks, like most of the illegals, he would be at his ultimate destination today, instead of jail.
By Brian February 9, 2011 at 8:19 pm
They can listen to any phone conversation or read any email. I’m not planning a terrorist plot. If we take away certain provisions of the Patriot Act, and we get hit again, people will be up in arms about “why didn’t we do more?” to protect US citizens.
By Brian February 9, 2011 at 8:22 pm
Oh…and for the FBI knowing what books we read…do you really think that our federal government is actually efficient enough to actually get that information??? I’ve worked in the military…it would scare you to know how little the government actually knows about our enemies.
By sober rover February 9, 2011 at 11:30 pm
this is very cool you are voting with the party you agree with rather than lockstepping
By Charlie Speight February 10, 2011 at 1:24 am
Lollipops and rainbows and “conventional wisdom” make for a naive country with no real appreciation for just how dangerous the world is.
Every bureaucracy has excesses, and that doesn’t excuse them. But when 9/11 happened, the FBI, DoD and the intelligence community were (incorrectly) blamed (along with those of barely functional IQs who claimed an “inside job”). No recollection or recognition that the Clinton Administration gutted those parts of the government and misdirected real strategic areas of national security. So, adversaries were emboldened and acted by attacking us. THEN the citizenry demanded more. So they got more. Now, things are less tense, though many operations that have been planned or attempted, but were stopped before being executed. Those successes aren’t usual advertised for good reason; to do so would reveal “sources and methods” and make our enemies smarter.
Those trying to do us harm use our free society against us. They use it as a weakness to be exploited. Live in denial if you must, but be sure you understand what you are ignoring.
By Prevert February 10, 2011 at 8:34 am
We finally agree on something
By dirtbogger February 10, 2011 at 9:17 am
They do pay attention when key books are bought, such as Atlas Shrugged, and A peoples History of the United States just to name a couple. We are always led to believe that more laws protect us which they do not. We have been hoodwinked to believe that we need Government and representaion. Native Americans had it figured out centries ago and Europien Eletist have proven who the savages were. People with that mentality are still in power today. Its always the same families generation after generation that are guided to posistions of power. That is what needs to be stopped. When the working class in this country wakes up and realize that they are no more than livestock to these people and see how we are minipulated into fighting their wars, toiling their fields protecting their intrest and giving them more control of our lives while making us foot the bill for it all, their goose will trully be cooked. This is what is going on in Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt, Yeman, Argentinia and Greece to name a few. Its going world wide and the eletes are struggaling hard to plug all the holes in their sinking boat with one plug.
By Brian Frank February 13, 2011 at 6:21 pm
U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney on supporting extending the Patriot Act and disagrees with Ron Paul!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOXacyto380
About 6 months ago I asked him at a GOP meeting, “If given the chance, would you vote to repeal the Patriot Act?” he told me “absolutely, Im not willing to give up Liberty for Safety!”