Privacy moves to front burner

[struggle4progress]

FOCUS: PATRIOT ACT, SECRET WIRETAPS
By Jim Puzzanghera
Mercury News Washington Bureau

... Privacy will be center stage in Washington in coming weeks. Congress faces a Feb. 3 deadline to extend the most controversial provisions of the Patriot Act, such as allowing investigators to secretly search people's homes. And Senate Judiciary Committee chair Arlen Specter, R-Pa., a leading skeptic of the legality of the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance, has summoned Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to a Feb. 6 hearing on the program ...

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/13725103.htm

[regnaD kciN]

1. But will it matter...?

IMHO, once Alito is confirmed, we won't need a Patriot Act -- Bush will simply be able to take whatever action he wants under "unitary executive," and the courts will go along with it.

:-(

[ToolTex]

2. True. Alito's conformation will mark the end of our democracy.

In fact, I think I am detecting many preparing for the reign of terror and political control that will soon come. The chill wind is already blowing.

[struggle4progress]

3. Never say die. Power is created daily by thousands of small acts ..

.. by thousands of people: it does not always mirror the apparent organizational structures. Our situation certainly can, and indeed might, worsen -- but IMO the view that "Bush will simply be able to take whatever action he wants" represents a strategic mistake. Practice saying "No!" as if you mean it ...

[Edward Copeland]

4. You aren't gonna believe this -- FOX News found this one

Specter has sneaked a provision into the Patriot Act to make it a felony if any protesters breaches "security perimeter" at certain events.

http://edwardcopeland.blogspot.com/2006/01/yikes-fox-news-caught-this-one.html