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Government

Senate Approves Warrantless Wiretapping Spy Bill

Dec. 28, 2012 11:35am Jonathon M. Seidl

TheBlaze’s Liz Klimas contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (TheBlaze/AP) — Congress has voted to renew the government’s authority to monitor electronic communications of foreigners abroad.

It’s a classified program to identify terrorists and spies without getting court orders for each intercept. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act program was on the brink of expiring by year’s end.

But the Senate on Friday approved a five-year extension by a 73-23 vote and sent the bill to President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it.

Lawmakers rejected arguments from an unusual combination of Democratic liberals and ideological Republican conservatives. They demanded to know about any Americans whose communications were swept up in the foreign intercepts.

The intelligence community and leaders of the Senate’s intelligence committee say the information is classified and oppose the disclosure.

Privacy and civil rights advocates, like the American Civil Liberties Union, have spoken out against the reauthorization act. In a recent blog post about the act, the ACLU criticized the law for allowing monitoring of “American communications without meaningful judicial oversight and without probable cause or any finding of wrongdoing.” It called for those in the House to demand those in the Obama administration disclose the following information, which they should then take into account before, reauthorizing FISA:

Copies of FISA court opinions interpreting our Fourth Amendment rights under the FAA, with redactions to protect sensitive information (the Department of Justice can write summaries of law if necessary);

A rough estimate of how many Americans are surveilled under the FAA every year;

A description of the rules that govern how American information picked up by FAA surveillance is protected.

“Can you believe that 435 members of Congress who have sworn to uphold the Constitution are about to vote on a sweeping intelligence gathering law without this basic information?” the ACLU’s Legislative Counsel Michelle Richardson wrote.

TheBlaze reported earlier this year senators asking the National Security Administration for the number of people spied upon through this program were issued a response from the Inspector General of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence I. Charles McCullough. The response said not only that the information regarding that is classified but also that divulging it could violate the privacy of persons spied upon.

The amendment was brought to the floor under a closed ruling, meaning no amendments were allowed to be made to it. OBM Watch calls it “troubling” that the House seems to have “fast tracked” reauthorization of this act in September.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. said, “While it’s certainly appropriate for our government to gather foreign intelligence and while some degree of secrecy is necessary, it’s also vital in a free society that we limit government, protect the constitutional rights of Americans here and abroad, and limit warrantless spying to genuine foreign intelligence.

“Unfortunately we have seen repeatedly how even the very minimal restraints Congress put on FISA have been violated,” Nadler said. “We should address those abuses. Congress has an obligation to exert more control over spy agencies than simply to give them a blank check for another five years.”

The act has drawn harsh criticism from the Left and Right alike. As liberal outlet Salon.com put it Thursday: “The FISA Amendments Act makes a joke of the entire Fourth Amendment ‘warrant’ requirement, as the government now can seek ‘programmatic warrants’ that allow them to indiscriminately collect massive amounts of data from broadly defined ‘targets’ over the course of a year.”

–

• Warrantless Wiretapping Law Reauthorized by House for Five Years

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (116)

Fellow_Citizen
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:47pm
Where were all the Lib senators who were screeching about the Patriot Act? Oh that s right, they were busy voting for this.

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- Truthbeliever2
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:39pm
  I can’t believe it. I actually agree with ACLU! The government is overreaching and we are losing our liberties at light speed.
  
  These snakes actually had the stones to say that releasing the information on who was spied upon would infringe on their rights to privacy. What they are saying here is you only have privacy rights among your fellow citizens but the government does not have to recognize those rights.
  
  Here is the paragraph I am talking about: “TheBlaze reported earlier this year senators asking the National Security Administration for the number of people spied upon through this program were issued a response from the Inspector General of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence I. Charles McCullough. The response said not only that the information regarding that is classified but also that divulging it could violate the privacy of persons spied upon.”
  
  Violate the privacy of PERSONS SPIED UPON??? That makes perfect sense on planet Oxymoron.
  
  Report this comment
- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:49pm
  “Losing”?
  
  Try “lost”. Let’s be honest, the ACLU is putting up token resistance at best. It’s not like they’ve been consistent on the constitution by any stretch of the imagination.
  
  Report this comment
- Dkoonz
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 2:07pm
  Big Brother is watching you.
  
  Report this comment
- desertspeaks
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 2:15pm
  73 men/women in congress committed treason by voting in favor of this bill. they also committed perjury by breaking their oath of office by not supporting and defending the constitution!!!
  
  Here is the oath;
  I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
  
  Report this comment
- Brother Winston Smith
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 2:54pm
  Where were all the Lib republican FAKE-TEA senators who were screeching about the Patriot Act? Oh that s right, they were busy voting for this.
  
  Report this comment
- Balpit
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 4:22pm
  They put some cracks in the Constitution, and will make them bigger until it shatters.
  
  Report this comment
- AUsername
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 4:29pm
  We need more patriots like Jullian Assange to give the goverment a taste of its own medicine.
  
  Report this comment
- TRILO
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 4:36pm
  They were right there with the republicans who say they are for the Constitution then vote to shred it. I expect this kind of thing from the democrats but not the republicans. Unfortunately the republicans disappoint me every day with their anti Constitutional votes and their lack of a spine.
  
  Report this comment
- SocialistSlayer
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 5:29pm
  Welcome to Amerika Comrades ! Communist obama will now take control of your life – Just relax and trust him and everything will be ok !
  
  Report this comment
- rickc34
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 5:29pm
  This happened in the Senate during Harry Ried’s watch. Liberal Democrates and Rino republicans voted to strip everyday people of their rights.
  
  Report this comment
- Frederick_Douglass_Republican
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 5:45pm
  This nation is indeed lost already and lately the ACLU has been making these faux protests to avert attention to their role in this countries demise.
  As the sheep are bleating to American Idol and The View the butchers knives are being honed to a mirrors finish edge.
  
  Report this comment
- The_Jerk
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 6:02am
  Bad when Bush did it. Good when Obama does it. Hypocrisy, and proves that there is little difference between the two parties.
  
  Report this comment
- Cemoto78
  Posted on December 30, 2012 at 9:07am
  Rand Paul for president 2016. He is actually one of the very few who believes in the constitution and wants to adhere to it.
  
  Report this comment
athiest-infedel
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:39pm
People die to defend the constitution and these “people” wipe their asses with it. I’m sick to my stomach now……….but still well armed.
The fools that voted for this POS have not read history, the first to go under marx were the professors and about half the people that suported the revolution.

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- Free_Thought
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 5:11pm
  Nice how you singled one out of the 73 thay voted for it. Classy.
  
  Report this comment
Advection
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:38pm
Once a federal government suspends a basic right–in an emergency–they will never give it back. This state of emergency will never end.

They essentially burned the Constitution in order to “save” it.

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- Goldmember
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 5:32pm
  Stop the hate people. Satan feeds on it. The tea party is a good equalizer to all his BS.
  
  Report this comment
- Goldmember
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 5:34pm
  Stop the neg statement. Lesser souls feed off it.
  
  Report this comment
ltdan
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:35pm
Let me go back and remember. Hmmmmm, it was wrong under Bush to do this but no one even raises an eyebrow under a democrat administration. Can anyone explain this to me?

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- Advection
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:52pm
  Ron Silver expressed the same feelings during Clinton’s first inauguration. He got angry at the sight of a USAF flyover, then he said “Wait a minute those are our planes now!”
  
  Liberals love dictators, as long as they think the dictator is theirs.
  
  Report this comment
semihardrock
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:27pm
WELCOME to Communism in disguise and the illusion of FREEDOM.

No need to hide anymore….THEY control everything you, eat, breathe…..under the Sun. If they do not currently….there is legislation pending to do so, one step at a time…in small pieces so nobody will notice.

HINT: if the “new electorate” has come from Third World countries (Dictators, Socialists), AND from a past of Slavery (who are used to never having any freedoms)……Than taking away any Freedoms or Liberties from this group is MEANINGLESS…..as long as you give them something….free cell phones….food…housing…education….

MONEY was their ONLY freedom and have been brainwashed to give it away to a “Higher Power” for the GOOD of humanity.

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zoro51
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:22pm
ONLY a SOCIALISTIC LEFTISTS DEMOCRAT weak leader like obama whose NOT american born but a MUSLUM… would allow this RAOPE of america.. IMPEACH OBAMA N REMOVE THE RAPIST

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- ranepowel
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:30pm
  LoL you’re cute.
  
  Report this comment
- justangry
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 2:14pm
  Nah, there’s plenty of R’s that adore the police state. It’s sickening that people blame the other side of a bill with bipartisan support.
  
  Report this comment
jessieH
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:16pm
When the war for Independence starts, remember the names of the traitors to this Nation. WE don’t want to hang the innocent. “Live Free or Die”. Lock & load.

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- booger71
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:36pm
  Amen, and why couldn’t Harry let them vote on the budget the House sent them? Oh yeah, harry can’t make Barry look bad by having to veto it.
  
  Report this comment
- naughtycal
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:26pm
  My thoughts exactly REMEMBER all the media personalities,actors and actresses,musicians remember all thoses who spurred on SOCIALISM and COMMUNISM. REMEMBER the Politicain that voted us TRILLIONS IN DEBT to buy election…..Remember them and each patriot should exact their pound of flesh seize their assets,bank accounts and property to pay back some of which they stole.
  
  Report this comment
- ranepowel
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:38pm
  I always find it humorous when people call liberals ‘communists’ and ‘socialists’ as if it’s an insult.
  
  Hint: It’s not
  
  When people call me that I say, “yeah, and?” They aren’t ‘bad words’ just because you say they are. There is nothing wrong with communism or socialism, and the sooner we turn this country into a more civilized and socialist society the better.
  
  Report this comment
- naughtycal
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 2:25pm
  Rane,
  You’re right they aren’t bad words because I say there are…
  They are bad words because history shows THEY ARE.
  Communism has caused the death of more people during a time of peace than all the wars in the last 200 years combined. But go right ahead and be proud of it. You’re as absent minded as a democratic KKK member defending the Klan. Or Hillary Clinton and Obama praising margret sanger and george bernard shaw progressive movement.
  And Socialism is a bad word because presently it’s sinking the largest econmy in the E.U. You dumb a55 leftist fascist you say united we stand divided we fall forget that also means united you fall as your chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link. Better way to put it when your ship sink 16.5 trillion in debt your life boats will be pulled under by those who won’t swim.
  I don’t base my words on my oppinion I simply way the fact and look at things for what they are….and unlike you I don’t let my mind be infuenced by an ideology or political fantasy of what might be.
  
  Report this comment
- black9897
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 2:34pm
  @RANE
  
  Let first ask how would you personally define communism and socialism?
  
  Report this comment
- naughtycal
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 2:43pm
  9897,
  Would start off by asking a KKK member how he would describe his version of the Klan
  
  Report this comment
- black9897
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 2:51pm
  @NAUGHTYCAL
  
  Now that was funny.
  
  But, I still need to know how he defines it. Right or wrong he might define it in a way that I don’t, and then we would be arguing two different things. In any argument or discussion it’s critical to define terms.
  
  Report this comment
- naughtycal
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 3:15pm
  9897,
  That’s where you’re wrong there are no differences in the end ….Power once giving is never returned until it is taken away. Also the nature of power is the grow and eventually consume all. progressivism leads top socialism socialism leads to communism….there are no alternate out comes every experiment will end with the enevitable conclusion….Sure ceratin barriers can be created to slow the growth and centralization of tyrannical control under a disguise of necessary authoritarian control but the end result will always be the same.
  TOTAL ABSOLUTE CORRUPTION
  None are as a blind as those who refuse to see……even an open minded sightless person is less blind than a ideolog.
  And by the way giving your obvious openess to socialism and Communism dispite the almost hundred million that died needlessly under their agenda. How is it funny to ask if you would be open to hear a klan member justify his version of the klan Thet were responsible less than couple thousand deaths sound pretty hypocritical but par for the leftist community….Maybe his version is white pride not white power…You would take issue with someone being proud of being white would you take issue if it were latino pride,native american pride or black pride.
  
  Report this comment
- black9897
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 4:01pm
  @NAUGHTYCAL
  
  I think you misunderstood me, I in no way support communism or socialism or think it’s a good idea. I was asking him before I went in to how wrong/bad it is/was. I’ve discussed it with people in the past and they believed it (socialism and or communism) to be something else other than what it actually is.
  
  I thought your analogy was funny. Like, I actually laughed because it was a funny analogy.
  
  Report this comment
- naughtycal
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 4:29pm
  9897,
  No problem sorrry I miss understood where you were coming from and heading with your post.
  Have a good New Year.
  Doubt you’ll see a post out a rane I pretty much nuke his political philosophy in a paragraph of history every American should know.
  
  Report this comment
- black9897
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 5:13pm
  No big deal NAUGHTYCAL. Sometimes that can happen when it’s on a form like this. Thanks, you to.
  
  Yeah. Guess I’ll have to wait and see.
  
  Report this comment
media-bias-steals-elections
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:16pm
Oh sure, and it would probably violate the privacy of the Muslims who are hired by US Government agencies to sift through your communications while they paid to do it? Well who do you think is going to look at this flood of data? Government agents have to contract the work out to third parties, people who they have never met, that you will never meet, and could be Muslims?

The problems with these regulations are obvious, neither can you keep a lid on who is going to look at the data, you will never get accurate profile data where millions of Americans are without fan fare, fabricating their “wire less” lives to match socially “acceptable” behaviors? On the other hand, how many consider their wire less or “digital lives” as a joke never be taken seriously and in fact present those digital lives in such a way as to give who ever reviews them as close as possible to a pyschotic episode that could bring them to the brink as possible to mental illness themselves for considering their online profile to any semblence of their real lives?

How many of you have teenagers? How many of them know you scrutinize their lives at every level, and then give you digital bread crumbs that would send your blood pressure through the roof intentionally? I’m sure law enforcement might find such tools occasionally valuable to stop shipments of prohibited goods, but as a general social rule, no, and not affordable to process the information?

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SaturdaysWarrior76
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:15pm
I’ve posted this before.. but watch it and see if you don’t feel fired up afterward! THIS is what it’s all about. If you need to be motivated, this is for you:
http://www.video.theblaze.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=23366123&topic_id=35025916&tcid=vpp_copy_23366123&v=3

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Tigress1
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:12pm
America has always spied on its ENEMIES. Every country spies on its ENEMIES. Unfortunately, when we have a government that is too timid and politically correct to even DEFINE who its enemies are, and we have stupid wars without even naming the enemies, (for example: “The War on Terror” rather than “The War on Radical Islam”) this is what we get.

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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:18pm
  Enemies = You, Me, Us
  
  Report this comment
- Marine25
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:34pm
  You mean Radical Islamic terrorists like Timothy McVeigh?
  
  Report this comment
- Tigress1
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:56pm
  Marine25, there always is an exception to every rule. The vast majority of terrorists are radical Muslims. At least we can stop one group of crazies by profiling.
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:04pm
  MARINE25, Oddly, you have no idea just how right you may be. Do some research on McVeigh, and what may have influenced him. Do some online research and find that forensic artist’s rendition of the supposed “third party” person in the OKC bombing. Then compare that drawing to the likeness of Jose Padilla. While you are at it, McVeigh’s more well known partner, Terry Nichols. Who is his brother in law, the guy married to his sister?
  
  Report this comment
- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:08pm
  Why spy on them? Oh yeah, because political correctness has stripped us of the capacity to not allow people from Pakistan into our country. (as an example)
  
  Report this comment
The American
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:12pm
I am sorry, but didn’t these elected officials swear to uphold the constitution and the bill of rights when they were sworn in? Just by initiating this vote they are violating the oath that they swore to!
These people need to be removed from their positions, and prosecuted!

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- ranepowel
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:29pm
  The Constitution and Bill of Rights aren’t being violated, as they don’t specify what can and cannot be done to you by the government while you are in a foreign country. What, you think you have freedom of speech in every country just because you’re an American?
  
  Get real.
  
  Report this comment
repairsea
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:07pm
Nothing new. Hoover did it all the time and I am sure it still happens. All they get from most households is gassy people deciding what to eat next and celebrating bowels movement. Tap away.

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Cavallo
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:07pm
Some of us have woken up in the last 12 years. I’m just glad this thing is temporary, for now.. thank god for small favors. Just keep a list of who votes for what. I must pull a mea culpa. Early on I thought this was likely just going to be used towards preventing terrorists from blowing things up, now I am very concerned it will be used to blackmail, arrest, harass, or otherwise attack political opponents of the central authority.

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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:17pm
  @Cav,
  
  Temporary? How so.
  
  In the current system (maybe that’s your point) how do liberties ever get returned/recognized? We’ve had numerous opportunities to restore the 10th amendment and not once have we come down on that side. If you are suggesting that an election will somehow undo 200K pages of federal code that conflict with the constitution I’d say that is polly-anna at best.
  
  Report this comment
termyt
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:04pm
Do you think enough people will notice the problem before all 10 of the Bill of Rights are moot? I’m pretty sure only the third and seventh remain unfettered. Maybe 6 does if you lump all of the abuses as violations of the 5th.

The feds should strive to quarter some troops in private homes and deny a civil jury trial for a clean sweep.

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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:15pm
  1st – Certainly under attack, at least the electronic component. I’d argue that political correctness is an assault as well.
  
  2nd – Certainly a shell of its intent and under political attack to finish it off.
  
  3rd – Yay, this one is still in force.
  
  4th – Dead. Gone. Nothing left here.
  
  5th – Gone. Dead. NDAA, Extrajudicial killings, etc. Toast.
  
  6th – Gone. Dead. NDAA. You can be “disappeared” now.
  
  7th – Um, sure. Still here.
  
  8th – Ok, but seems hard to accept with 5/6 being gone. Benefit of the doubt…still in force.
  
  9th – Ha. You think the commerce clause hasn’t been “construed”? Gone. Toast.
  
  10th – Gone long ago. Was the first to go actually.
  
  So how’s the bill of rights looking now? But yeah, revolt, revolution, secession, civil disobedience, etc….those are still “crazy” and “off the table” right?
  
  Report this comment
Tigress1
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:03pm
We all get hurt under the guise of political correctness again. If the purpose of this was to prevent acts of terrorism, then they should simply spy on the radical Muslims. Just like at the airport, because they are too afraid to profile a certain group of people we ALL have to suffer.

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skippy6
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:01pm
All of your electronic info is stored anyway if they want your info they will get it anyway…They can also haul you away and make you disappear…..Welcome to the new Wilson era…Don’t protest to loudly, unless of course you are in a union…

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Micmac
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:58am
First it’s A, then it’s B, then C, then YOU. The continued knee jerks of 11 years have eroded our freedoms to the point where a NoBama can walk in and totally destroy out rights uninpued, with the blessings of both houses and the SCOTUS. Once someone receives an entitlement, either public or priviate, they now assume it’s a right.

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Rbell2915
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:57am
We all are prisoners, things can’t get much worse.

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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:05pm
  Boy are you mistaken. You haven’t seen anything yet.
  
  Report this comment
- humbled
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:16pm
  @ RBell It would be comforting if that were true….
  
  http://www.reelz.com/trailer-clips/15110/the-lost-city-trailer/
  
  Report this comment
- Rbell2915
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 3:54pm
  I’ve yet to see anything, I’m high school age.
  
  Interesting movie trailer. I’m glad you showed it to me.
  
  Report this comment
TX_45_ACP
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:53am
Does this bill included warrantless wiretapping on the Senators? This is what is really needed.

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aquarian_monk
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:51am
Whats ironic about this is if anyone thinks that absolutely every form of communication isn’t already monitored they’re sorely mistaken.

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- ozchambers
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:55am
  Senate passes warantless wiretapping bill and the NSA yawns.
  
  Report this comment
SaturdaysWarrior76
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:49am
I remember Glenn Beck saying when all of this begins to happen, it’s going to happen really FAST. And he was right. We have to remember.. at least HALF of the people in this country did NOT vote for 0bama. That is alot of people. We are not alone. Look at Hobby Lobby standing up for what is right. We thought the election was the time to link arms and stand together.. but the time to do that is NOW. Our winter slumber is over, a new year begins. Remember the flag our founders had, the divided snake that said “Join or Die”

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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:58am
  I think you nailed it on Hobby Lobby. That is the key. If we simply say “no” then what? If our states say “no” then what? Do the Feds have the ability to go after massive civil disobedience? If I say no, they round me up, take all that I have, and put me in jail. What if millions simply said “no”? They would be completely powerless. Our oppression is self imposed. Individually we are screwed. Collectively we can resist. It’s simply a matter of organizing and dealing with ramifications. Point is, that when / if we do this people will go to jail and lose everything or even be killed. But, if we stick together it will be minimal.
  
  Report this comment
- copatriots
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:58am
  Excellent point! I essentially just said the same thing on the Hobby Lobby story. ; )
  
  Report this comment
- ranepowel
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:32pm
  I’ll have fun buying all your guys stuff for dirt cheap when you’re imprisoned for conspiring to overthrow the government. And btw, I always report posts like this to federal law enforcement, as I find them to be dangerous and fear-inducing.
  
  Report this comment
- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:47pm
  LOL,
  
  Um, Okay Rane. I’m sure the entirety of the board is somehow news to the feds. I’ll bet they never troll over here to see these posts. Freakin’ moron. And BTW, if you had a spine you’d confront people in the open instead of “reporting them” like a good little bootlicker. But, I’ll bet you’re just a troll looking for attention and you don’t report squat. But if you do, by all means report away. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may you pray that justice never comes in your lifetime.
  
  Report this comment
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:44am
Great, now Big Brother will move into hyper-drive under Obama and all of us are in major danger at this point. There are no more privacy rights under Obama and the Democrats.

Welcome to the communist state of Obama.

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kickagrandma
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:43am
Where are the members of the senate elected TO SERVE THE PEOPLE????

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- IKW
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:02pm
  The Senate was originally supposed to be the body the states themselves elected through their respective State Assemblies, when it became a popular vote the population of each state became enslaved to nation-wide mob rule. Individual states have no “rights” because they are not individually represented.
  
  Report this comment
- Cavallo
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:02pm
  Hahhahahahahahahaha… serve the people… that’s a good one.
  
  Report this comment
Owt_Raged
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:43am
Please start treason cases against every one of the senators who voted for this. They took an oath to uphold our constitution. By voting for this bill, they just became a domestic enemy.

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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:51am
  Just because the senate authorizes it doesn’t mean that law enforcement has to follow it. People want to torch and pitchfork senators for voting for it but we give passes to law enforcement for ACTUALLY DOING IT. Why? The FBI agents, cops, State BI’s, DHS, NSA people ALL live right among us. Their kids go to school with our kids they go to our churches. We not only give them a pass some treat them as heroes. Good grief.
  
  I’ll tell you what. You start making life difficult for these people than the willingness to execute this crap will stop right quick. You can look them in the eye and call them out in their communities, shun them, refuse to do business with them, all sorts of non-violent ways to publicly call them out for the civil rights violators that they are. You can do that in your communities and it will start paying dividends tomorrow. Quit wasting your time on Senators and Representatives.
  
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Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:39am
And the left comes unglued like they did when Bush was pushing this junk in 3, 2, 1….(crickets).

And the right freaks out unlike they did when Bush was pushing this in 3, 2, 1….”NOW the constitution is really important!!!!”

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- naughtycal
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:50am
  You’re half right in your sarcasm the left will be silent but much of thr right were against the patriot act just like they’re against the NDAA bill
  
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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:52am
  Naughty,
  
  I think many ARE. I’m not sure many WERE. I’ll stick to my point on that one, but your disagreement is certainly noted. Maybe I’m not remembering history like I think I do.
  
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- GuruMeditation
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:54am
  The two party system is a joke and most people are too selfish and hung up with the silly dichotomy that they can’t even think logically. Pretty damned sad. Our nation will fall as a result unless we pull our heads from our collective @ss3s!
  
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- naughtycal
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:01pm
  Maybe you’re confusing Republican right with conservative right as a Conservative it’s my belief that all our rights are including the fourth are up held to the highiest standard I could care less whose in office it’s wrong and unAmerican and I’m pretty sure a violation of the Congressional oath of office.
  
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- ozchambers
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:04pm
  While some on the right were against the Patriot Act when it first passed under Bush, you are indeed correct to point out the hypocrisy on both “sides”. Constitutional vigilance requires maintaining philosophical purity at all times. A dictator is always an enemy of liberty no matter how benevolent we believe he or she may be.
  
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- ranepowel
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:35pm
  You must have missed the part where the ACLU was going after this law with heavy force and speed.
  
  Naw, you keep living in your bubble where ‘libs’ are the bad guys.
  
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