*D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h* ------------------------------ Three provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act will expire on December 31. Committees in both the House and Senate have approved renewal bills, but the House version includes much stronger civil liberties protections.
Let's tell Congress to pass the House version, or pass nothing at all and let these provisions expire using our "I am not afraid" campaign. https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/77 Here are my personal comments which you may copy or borrow from . . . Specifically, please allow the following provisions of the Patriot Act to sunset on December 31: * The Records Provision * The Roving Wiretaps Provision * The Lone Wolf Provision The evidence indicates that these provisions don't even serve their supposed purpose: * As Cato Research Fellow Julian Sanchez says, "the successful investigations since 9/11 -- only a few of which actually involved 'plots' for attacks in the U.S. -- appear to have depended a lot more on good human intelligence and informants in the community than broad new surveillance powers." http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10705 * And The OC Register observes that "the evidence that any of these provisions has prevented or deterred a terrorist act is somewhere between slim and none" and that if they had been successfully used, "government officials would have trumpeted the news." http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/government-222144-act-provision.html These provisions appear to do little except allow the government to spy on innocent people and collect private data. Please let these provisions expire. Vote against renewal. But if you insist on passing a renewal bill, favor the House bill, H.R. 3845, as opposed to the Senate's S. 1692. The House bill . . . * Increases the government's burden of proof for the Records and Roving Wiretaps powers * Eliminates the Lone Wolf Provision * Reigns in the FBI's non-expiring but often-abused National Security Letters powers H.R. 3845 will restore some of the civil liberties we lost when the Patriot Act was passed. But remember, I prefer that you do not renew these provisions. We will be no less safe, but we will be more free. END LETTER Please send your message using our Educate the Powerful System. https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/77 And spread this message to your friends: http://tinyurl.com/yaolpu3 James Wilson Assistant Communications Director DownsizeDC.org, Inc. Source: Elizabeth Gorman, "Authority to Spy on Americans Unclear as Patriot Act Expires" http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/sunsetting-provisions-patriot-act-revives-privacy-debate/story?id=9173895 *D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h* is the official email list of DownsizeDC.org, Inc.<http://www.downsizedc.org/>& Downsize DC Foundation <http://www.downsizedc.com/> Normally published 3 - 6 times per week. CONTRIBUTE <http://www.downsizedc.org/contribute.shtml> in support of the "Educate the Powerful System" http://www.DownsizeDC.org <http://www.downsizedc.org/> is sponsored by DownsizeDC.org, Inc. -- a non-profit educational organization promoting the ideas of individual liberty, personal responsibility, free markets, and small government. Operations office: 1931 15th St. Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223, 202.521.1200 IF you have difficulties or inquiries, simply hit reply to this message. We're eager to help, including with requests to unsubscribe. The Downsize DC Team would like to thank you for subscribing to the Downsizer-Dispatch, which you did by going to http://www.downsizedc.org/page/newsletter or by using our Educate the Powerful System to send a message. Your subscription comes to this email address: [email protected] You are encouraged to forward this message to friends and business associates, and permission is hereby granted to reproduce any items herein as long as attribution is provided for articles and the subscription instructions above are included. If you do not want to receive any more newsletters (to unsubscribe), click this link<http://www.downsizedc.org/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=929e80c9b7075dc1d8187717e6e2d2ae> To update your newsletter preferences visit this link<http://www.downsizedc.org/lists/?p=preferences&uid=929e80c9b7075dc1d8187717e6e2d2ae> - [image: Powered by PHPlist2.10.5, © tincan ltd]<http://www.phplist.com/> -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
<<powerphplist.png>>
