Obama on the patriot act and the people that expected it to be repealed
By EvanHunter
@EvanHunter (4026)
United States
May 29, 2010 3:13pm CST
A lot of people voted for Obama because they felt he was going to repeal the patriot act (or unpatriotic act as I like to call it). I have searched youtube and other places and haven't come up with a place where he said specifically he would. What he did say was he would protect peoples constitutional rights while protecting America from terrorist. You might know about this but in February he signed key portions of the patriot act back into law that would have of expired. What this includes is covered here http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/02/26/house_votes_to_extend_patriot_act_with_few_changes/
but I can't seem to find a link to the complete bill for myself so if anyone cares to throw up a link I will gladly read it. Not the entire patriot act as I have reviewed it once already and my blood pressure can't handle it a second time but just the specific wording for what was renewed and if anything was added.
So do you think he has kept his campaign promises? Or do you feel he led people to believe he would repeal the patriot act?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@dboman (457)
• United States
30 May 10
I've been informed that the Patriot Act only applies to conversations of people in the US speaking to people in other countries. Is this wrong? And if so, please provide back up.
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
30 May 10
One part that was renewed was "Authorize court-approved roving wiretaps that permit surveillance on multiple phones." So what is the definition of "roving wire taps" I guess would be the question. Some say it only applies to the individual and any phones they might use but some say that means anyone they have contact with so lets say they suspect your cousin and he stops at your house one day so that means they can tap yours also. Keep in mind that "wiretap" also means email and etc. AT&T has put in splitters for the government without any court orders. AT&T was sued and NSA got it thrown out as being a matter of national security for it to even be discussed...
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/199506/msg00027.html
http://www.cosc.georgetown.edu/~denning/crypto/
News of the government spying on U.S. citizens:
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5987804&page=1
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10488458/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppRKfXiXBLM
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
30 May 10
The abc news link was only one story, did you see the last one on the 9th circuit court of appeals where the NSA stepped in to squash the law suit against AT&T, how about the fact that they wouldn't even agree to what Bush had said that their is no eaves dropping on American citizens?
@laglen (19759)
• United States
29 May 10
So do you think he has kept his campaign promises? Or do you feel he led people to believe he would repeal the patriot act? 
I like this part of the article -
“Recent terror attacks, such as those at Fort Hood and on Christmas Day, demonstrate just how severe of a threat we are facing,’’ Sessions said.
It demonstrates the threat but not how infringing on rights have helped it....
I am sorry, I could not find the provisions, I am with you and already have a headache. I think if I look at that I will have an aneurysm!
I like this part of the article -
“Recent terror attacks, such as those at Fort Hood and on Christmas Day, demonstrate just how severe of a threat we are facing,’’ Sessions said.
It demonstrates the threat but not how infringing on rights have helped it....
I am sorry, I could not find the provisions, I am with you and already have a headache. I think if I look at that I will have an aneurysm!@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
29 May 10
Well I was certainly under the impression he would repeal it also that said if he has someone run against him that says they will than they get my vote. I live within 50 miles of a U.S. border which under the patriot act gives them the right to search my house without a warrant. Not happy!
1 person likes this
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
30 May 10
They did go far beyond and Bush actually was notified and approved dozens of wiretaps that the NSA did on U.S. but still came out and said they didn't spy on citizens. Check out the links I posted below.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/07/AR2007110700006.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_qYGbieoMM
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
30 May 10
Well as a senator he promised to filibuster ANY attempt to extend the Patriot Act. Of course that was a lie as he still voted to extend it as a senator in 2006 claiming the extension added more oversight. As a candidate he constantly railed against the Patriot Act and how horrible it was, but I don't think he specifically said he'd repeal it. He did however lead people to believe he would repeal it just as he lead people to believe a lot of things that he never spelled out.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
30 May 10
See, I knew we'd agree on something eventually. The worst part of this extension is that they named the bill something like the "Medicare Physicians Payment Reform Act" or some such so people could safely vote for it and hope nobody realized what they did.
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
30 May 10
I didn't know that till you had told me, had to look it up for myself. I guess that is why I had a hard time finding the actual bill I will have to look into it further (after I get my grass cut today...LOL).
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
30 May 10
/agree /agree /agree, In every speech he chose his words very carefully but he told people exactly what they wanted to hear and that was patriot act was bad than turns around and extends it....like I said not happy!
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
30 May 10
He certainly let people to believe he would repeal it. It was on the few things I agreed with him during the campaign...how bad the patriot act was. He talked about how bad it was a lot. But I remember him saying exactly that he would repeal it. But with how often he talked about how bad it was...it lead you to believe he would. But then he goes and signs the extention of it. He never came out with a comment about that either or why he signed it.
I think we deserve some answers.
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
30 May 10
If you can find a clip of him saying he would repeal it I would love to see it. I would have bet one of his campaign promises was he would repeal it also but after searching all I can find is where he talked about how bad it was.
