Sen. Leahy, Please Remove the Knife from Our Back

I can't believe it's been just over eight months of the McCain administration. And look at what the Republican majority in Congress is up to now. The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing today on whether to renew three provisions of the Patriot Act that are expiring at year’s end:

“All of us are mindful that threats against American safety are real and continuing,” (the chairman) said at the hearing . “I’m trying to introduce balances on both sides.”

He was discussing one of the most controversial provisions of the Patriot Act — Section 215. That allows a secret court — known as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Court or FISA court — to authorize broad warrants for most any type of records, including those held by banks, libraries and doctors.

The ... amendment, which is likely to be adopted by the committee and sent to the full Senate next week, does not require the government show a connection between the items sought under a Section 215 warrant and a suspected terrorist or spy.

Just last week, however, (the chairman) touted an amendment that required a connection to terrorism. Under the ... amendment, the standard would allow secret-court warrants to be issued if the information sought pertains to an “authorized investigation.” That’s roughly the same language already in the Patriot Act.

(via Wired)

So let's come clean. As we know, this isn't the work of Republicans, the usual culprits when the vile, intrusive Patriot Act needs defending. No, it's the Democrats. The chairman is Sen. Pat Leahy (Vt.) and the amendment, the Leahy-Feinstein amendment, of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Hack) fame.

Unfortunately, the Senate can't be full of Russ Feingolds, no matter how many times I wish it were true. Feingold today:

“We must not continue to kick this can down the road. The rights and freedoms of Americans are at stake,” he said. The government’s Section 215 power is riddled with “rampant misuse and abuse,” he said, but would not elaborate because the information was classified.

Glenn Greenwald chronicles the disappointment, a feeling that crops up almost daily these days.

Isn't it so interesting how the phrase "Patriot Act" was the symbol of everything Democrats claimed to find so heinous during the Bush years, but now that there's a Democratic President, Senate and Congress, it's absolutely certain that the Patriot Act will continue, and civil libertarians are reduced to hoping that there may be some tiny modifications to it, and even that's highly unlikely?

I never expected America to zap into Candyland after an Obama-Democratic sweep in '08, but come on. It's sad, demeaning and wholeheartedly deceptive the way progressives have been played by Democrats on a hefty list of priorities. I know it all isn't final just yet, but Congress will lose its focus soon since another election year is coming. The Democrats will inevitably lose seats in the House. Obama's clout will lessen. You can imagine the rest.

How disappointing this all has been. What happened to the fierce urgency of now, Obama?