What is "permanent" anyway?
Yesterday the Senate voted to make several provisions of the USA PATRIOT act permanent. Ten senators voted against it. The "no" votes were Jim Jeffords (I-VT), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Robert Byrd (D-WV), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Carl Levin (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ron Wyden* (D-OR). Senator Inouye (D-HI) did not vote. I'm still doing my research on which liberties this bill does and does not infringe upon, but I don't like the word "permanent". If you voted "yes" for the USA PATRIOT Act to become permanent, expect me to vote to make your Senate term temporary, starting in November.
In other news, Harry Browne -- the Presidential candidate for the Libertarian party in 1996 and 2000 -- has died at age 72. Now that politicians are making the USA PATRIOT Act permanent, his column from 9/12 makes for informative reading.
"Left-wing politicians take away your liberty in the name of children and of fighting poverty, while right-wing politicians do it in the name of family values and fighting drugs. Either way, government gets bigger and you become less free."
--Harry Browne (1933-2006)
In other news, Harry Browne -- the Presidential candidate for the Libertarian party in 1996 and 2000 -- has died at age 72. Now that politicians are making the USA PATRIOT Act permanent, his column from 9/12 makes for informative reading.
"Left-wing politicians take away your liberty in the name of children and of fighting poverty, while right-wing politicians do it in the name of family values and fighting drugs. Either way, government gets bigger and you become less free."
--Harry Browne (1933-2006)