Patriot Act Provisions Renewed: Finally

I think - and hope - that there are quite a few members of Congress who read the news daily; and who have more on their mind than getting reelected chasing that sexy new intern.

I'd prefer to believe that many of this nation's leaders realize that their constituents are in more danger from Al Qaeda, than from the FBI - and that the CIA is not the single greatest threat to freedom in the world. Although I'll grant that the following statement reflects my own opinions. After all, maybe the world really is ruled by space-alien, shape-shifting lizard men. And that's another topic.

America's Freedoms Threatened - or, Not

What set me off this evening was news that the House finally got around to giving the okay to a four-year extension of the Patriot Act. That's a set of rules set up during the previous administration, that lets Federal officials search records and do wiretaps in a way that's appropriate to the Information Age.

The idea was that:

• Terrorists might want to kill more Americans
• They should be prevented from doing so
  • If possible
• The old-fashioned process for approving searches and wiretaps needed an overhaul
  • Information technology had changed since 1978
    • A lot (March 13, 2008)

I think extending the Patriot Act is a good idea: but that's not a universally-held opinion.

I've harangued on the Patriot Act, FISA, and related ideas before.

Bottom line? I think stopping terrorists before they kill people is a good idea. I also think that checks and balances is a good idea. I even think having two sets of elected officials vote on things like the Patriot Act is a good idea. And that's yet another topic.

Related posts:

• "Someone Should Tell Congress There's a War on: President Obama, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab"
  (February 3, 2010)
• "Fort Hood, Obama, Congress, and Getting a Job Done"
  (November 16, 2009)
• "Attack on New York City Thwarted; or Your Constitutional Rights Threatened: Depends on Your Point of View"
  (October 6, 2009)
• "FISA, the Patriot Act, and the Protect America Act: Who's Protecting Whom from Whom?"
  (March 13, 2008)
• "Odd Allies: Opposition to Waterboarding and Web Censorship"
  (March 9, 2008)

In the news:

• "Congress approves extension of expiring Patriot Act provisions"
  Tom Cohen, CNN (May 26, 2011)
• "Congress OKs Last-Minute Patriot Act Extension"
  FoxNews.com (May 26, 2011)