Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Patriot Act jumpstarts potential liberal / libertarian coalition

Patriot Act jumpstarts potential liberal/libertarian coalition | theCLog - John Grooms

May 24, 2011 - "Vermont liberal Sen. Patrick Leahy and Kentucky libertarian Rand Paul are joining forces to introduce an amendment to the Patriot Act that would phase out some of the worst parts of the law. The Leahy-Paul amendment would let National Security Letters (NSLs) expire at the end of 2013. NSLs are a type of subpoena used by the federal government, which ... doesn’t need to show probable cause for the NSL, and there is no judicial oversight of the process. If you history buffs out there think this sounds a little like the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, apartheid-era South Africa, or recent Egyptian policy, you’re right.

"Leahy and Paul’s amendment would also mandate that the Justice Dept. audit the issuance of NSLs, and would expand public reporting on the use of NSLs.... Rand Paul said, 'We were so frightened after 9/11 that we readily gave up these freedoms. Not only would I let these expire, but I think we should sunset the entire Patriot Act.'”

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/theclog/2011/05/24/patriot-act-jumpstarts-potential-liberallibertarian-coalition/

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