Good News: House Fails to Extend Patriot Act - Fox News Video - FoxNews.com http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/02/patriot-act-notextended/# http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-acti...se-failure-to-extend-patriot-act-surveillance This one is pretty good at showing the change that is taking place in both parties due to the Tea Party Movement and growth of Libertarianism: http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/02/08/house-unexpectedly-defeats-patriot-act
Suuuuuuuure it is...Who is to say, however, that any of the measures being taken at airports or as far as wiretapping goes are going to stop? This is another smoke screen.
Okay folks, this is just a question, because I am on shaky ground here. By that I mean, If I don't know something to be absolute I would not bet on it either way. That is where I stand on legislative proceedure. I should know more. That is why I am asking. I have underlined what I believe. . All Federal Laws are supposed to start in the House of Representatives. YES or NO? . If even brought to the floor at all, and the Speaker of the House controls the Agenda (what is brought to the floor) .... That is why the Speaker of the House is 3rd and succession to the Presidency and so strong of a position. YES or NO? . Only if it passes in the House is it passed on to the Senate. YES or NO? . Only if passed in the Senate UNCHANGED, does it go straight to the President, and not back to the House. YES or NO? . When Received by the President, he has a certain number of days to sign it or it goes into effect without his signature. YES or NO? . If the President vetoes it, It goes back to where.... the House or Senate? . A Presidential Veto Override requires a super majority of 60% or greater to pass. YES or NO? . and last but not least, the Vice President is the tie breaker in the Senate only on Tie votes of 50 to 50. YES or NO? . maybe I am a dummie..... duh .... I could use a few answers. . However if I am correct about legislative proceedure as I have indicated above, then I would say that the non extension of the Patriot Act is a very BIG DEAL. Nixon was brought down for not complying with the rule of law. Why should Lord Obama be any different!!!
It IS a very big deal. I'm betting there will be some debate and horse trading in the cloak rooms that will bring it to the floor as a continuing resolution until debate is scheduled. If it does get to the floor, there WILL be some changes, it can't go thru like it is. I hope. Anyway, if anyone thinks or knows that I am wrong above, please let us know.
Ghrit has it pretty much correct...with just a few shaky areas. The VP is President of the Senate...the President Pro Tempore is a senator elected by the senate (usually the senior senator of the majority party) who presides in the absence of the VP. The Pres Protem votes as a normal senator. He is #3 in succession, behind the VP and Speaker of the House and ahead of the Sec of State. Overriding a veto requires a 2/3 vote of each house...60% is just for cloture and a couple of other procedural issues. The Pres has 10 days to sign or veto or the bill becomes law without siggy...unless the congress has adjourned during those 10 days, in which case it is "pocket vetoed". Incidentally, prior to change by the Dem 61 vote majority in 1975, cloture also took a 2/3 vote. The Speaker or Pres Pro-Tem actually have as much to do with bringing a bill to the floor as the chair(s) of the committee(s) that is/are charged with oversight of the particular area(s) of government addressed by the bill. Either the committe chair or the Speaker/PPT can pretty much kill a bill in effect.
They just love creating enemies out of thin air and making enemies of the citizens. Their thought process is this: "If we can't control EVERYTHING you do, then you are a threat". What a way to live. I couldn't imagine living like that.
"The Democrats wanted it permanent, so I'm sure they will bring it back up again. Go Tea Party!<!-- google_ad_section_end --> " Actually, it was a Republican/Rino thing and the newly elected Libertarian-Republicans joined with the Democrats to vote it down.
Quite frankly, I am no fan of Big Brother, or the Patriot Bill. USA can do fine without totally crapping on the Constitution. JMHO,,
I agree. It is a good thing that it isn't being actively extended on record, but I fear the damage has been done. We have already seen these goons step up the police state, and if we don't continue to place pressure on them, they will just keep getting away with Patriot Act tactics.
Let's just hope more people realize where their hands were on this one....in our cookie jar. Check it out.... all these newbie conservatives voted against an extension, Slate Magazine.
After Big Sis said we in an elevated threat assessment as great as 9-11, they have brought it back! Some of the newly elected Tea Party Senators are voting for it! Foul!
Don't get too excited about this. Seems like the Repubs used a special rule that required 2/3 majority to approve extension of 3 parts of the Homeland Security Laws. You can bet there's gonna be another vote w/o the special rules and it'll pass again. Kajun
The Patriot Act is a Travesty to our liberty and was foisted upon us by Republicans as a Knee-jerk response to 9-11 and we let them get away with it. People have to realize that the Republican Party represents the Military-Industrial complex and could care less about your liberty, they don't care that you got guns because they manufacture them and need the sales. That does not make them your friend, that makes you part of Their market. The Partiot Act makes it easy to dispatch the problem parts of their market spectrum without the bothersome complications of that "damned piece of paper". The Socials Party is not your friend either. This country only has one chance and that is "We the People". period.