I'm with the Displaced Plainsman: this week, my hero in Congress is Senator Rand Paul. This week, Senator Paul had the courage to filibuster the biggest ongoing threat to our constitutional rights, the Patriot Act. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House John Boehner colluded to rush the four-year extension of the Patriot Act through Congress with minimal debate.
Senator Paul found that deal offensive:
"Do we fear terrorism so much that we will not have debate," Paul asked. "Do we fear terrorism so much that we throw out our Constitution, and are we unwilling and afraid to debate our Constitution?" [David Welna, "Patriot Act Extension Came Down to the Wire," NPR: Morning Edition, 2011.05.27]
Alas, South Dakota's entire Congressional delegation—Thune, Johnson, and Noem—sheepled along and voted in favor of extending the closest thing to tyranny currently enacted in federal law. Thune, Johnson, and Noem think it's just fine that we have four more years of roving wiretaps and other aggressive surveillance.
South Dakota's delegation was wrong, wrong, wrong. But more Congress critters are getting it right: yesterday's votes were 72 to 23 in the Senate and 250 to 153 in the House. In 2001, the Patriot Act passed the Senate 98 to 1 and the House 357 to 66. And yesterday's vote was able to bring tea Party fave Paul together with Minnesota's latest, greatest liberal scion Al Franken to vote No in defense of the Constitution.
Bonus Tyranny Warning: Not only is Rep. Noem unlikely to have read the entire Patriot Act extension before she voted on it, but even if she wanted to read it, she couldn't. According to Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the federal government puts the Patriot Act to work with interpretations it will not publish.
Tea Party, you need to listen to Wyden, Paul, and Franken and fight the real tyranny afoot.
Baucus and Tester represent a state where the Native vote could turn the election for President Obama in 2012. This morning, Max called for withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan following the President's reelection.
I'm o.k. with ending that occupation! It would sure cut the deficit more effectively and justly than the now-dead Ryan budget.
It surprises me that many so-called "Conservatives" have always supported this wrong-headed act. By the way Cory, I do not refer to it as the "Patriot" Act for to do so insinuates that if I do not support it I must not be a Patriot? Since 2005, I have referrered to the misguided law by a more accurate title: "The Police State Act." This is one of many reasons I ditched the Republican Party in 2005 and became an political Independent, which I will be the remainder of my earthly life.
Much thanks to Rand for fillibustering this unconstitutional law!
It can't be that bad, Mr. Obama ratified it. Now who am I going to vote for?
I feel some "less bad" voting coming on, much like last year's choice between Blue Dog SHS and lap dog Noem.
To Guy,
I'm actually kind of shocked at your ignorance. I, too, believe that the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act is a crime against our constitutional rights; however, under your assumption that the word patriot actually means patriot astounds me. It is an acronym, as are many war operations and plans. So while I agree with your point of view, you are very much mistaken in your reasoning, and it is quite ignorant to form such an extreme opinion without so much as learning the name of such a policy.