Bruce, I thought it was George Bush that said "a bad plan in better than no plan at all?"
On Dec 15, 11:30 am, Bruce Majors <[email protected]> wrote: > *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-... > > *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 > tohttp://www.downsizedc.org/page/newsletteror 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=929e80c9b7075dc1d8...> > To update your newsletter preferences visit this > link<http://www.downsizedc.org/lists/?p=preferences&uid=929e80c9b7075dc1d8...> > > - > > [image: Powered by PHPlist2.10.5, © tincan ltd]<http://www.phplist.com/> > > powerphplist.png > 3KViewDownload -- 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.
