It's a strange world where I have to post about how to hide your data transmissions from the NSA - if in fact you even can. The Dread Pirate Roberts saga suggests that you can't.Do we still need the PATRIOT Act? Did we ever? All laws are certainly a product of their times. But this seems much more acutely true of the USA PATRIOT Act, which was passed in a rush and under duress without due consideration.Particularly in light of the revelations from Edward Snowden – that the government is spying on everything they possibly can – it’s worth asking if there’s any walking back. He points out that the police state apparatus was originally for drug dealers, then for terrorists, but ultimately ended up being applied to anyone and everyone.
Friday, October 25, 2019
The PATRIOT Act
There's an excellent article on the USA PATRIOT Act at Ammo.com. There's lots of background there (I hadn't known or had forgotten that Obama extended the act; thanks for nothing, Democrats). This bit seems dead on:
It was always a bad idea, but I don't getting rid of the Patriot Act would help anymore, the gov't has the apparatus in place and they just aren't going to give it up.
ReplyDeleteAgree with ASM... dammit...
ReplyDeleteNo law ever passed in emotional response to a tragedy is a good law. They're always under disguise, already written, and ready to drop into place when the opportunity arises. That goes for things like the PATRIOT act, or Jessica's Law, bump stock bans, red flag laws, you name it. If it's got a catchy name or some victim's name, it's doubly true.
ReplyDeleteThe PPACA (patient protection and affordable care act - Obamacare) was 3000 pages and dropped virtually in toto at the start of the legislative session. Does anyone honestly believe they wrote that then? It was written, largely, by a left wing activist while he was in prison.
I don't have a convenient equivalency for the USA PATRIOT act, but I'd bet there is one.
Trump extended it also.
ReplyDelete