AMY GOODMAN: The U.S. government’s authority to sweep up millions of Americans’ phone records expired at 12:01 this morning, after the Senate failed to renew the practice exposed by National Security Agency whistleblower Ed Snowden. The move comes after Republican senator and presidential hopeful Rand Paul of Kentucky blocked an extension of three controversial measures in the PATRIOT Act during a special Sunday session of the Senate.
SEN. RAND PAUL: Let us be clear: We are here tonight because the president continues to conduct an illegal program. We are not collecting the information of spies. We are not collecting the information of terrorists. We are collecting all American citizens’ records all of the time. This is what we fought the revolution over.
Now, people say, “Well, they’re not looking at it. They’re not listening to it.” It’s the tip of the iceberg, what we’re talking about here. And realize that they were dishonest about the program until we caught them. They kept saying over and over again, “We’re not doing this. We’re not collecting your records.” And they were. The head of the intelligence agency lied to the American people, and he still works here. We should be upset. We should be marching in the streets and saying he’s got to go.
People say, “How will we protect ourselves without these programs?” What about using the Constitution? What about using judicial warrants? The Tsarnaev boy, the Boston bomber? They say, “How will we look at his phone records?” Get a warrant! Put his name on it!
AMY GOODMAN: The three parts of the PATRIOT Act that have now expired include Section 215, which authorizes the NSA’s bulk collection of telephone metadata, a lone wolf provision giving intelligence agencies the authority to follow suspected terrorists who may not be affiliated with a terrorist group and so-called roving wiretaps that allow the government to monitor someone who may use different phone lines to escape detection. In the hours ahead of Sunday’s failed vote to renew the measures, CIA Director John Brennan appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation with outgoing host Bob Schieffer.
Dancing With Fools 
Watch carefully as the US is ever so slowly being converted to Fascism, then with the TPP, will ensnare the World in the same Fascism. Thanks to the distracted citizenry this should be accomplished in the next 5 years without a shot being fired.
Wake up Americans! Obomber is NOT your friend despite his many attempts at sucking up in an effort to fool you, and fool you he has.
These are dangerous times for press freedom as well as personal freedom and if Obomber and his evil minions get their way we will all be mentally shackled to the wall where we will be told what we can and cannot do with the cannot’s outnumbering the cans by a wide margin.
The above article shows the power and determination behind the actions of a few bad men willing to compromising everyone’s freedom through maintaining the Fascist law called the Patriot Act, which incidentally has no connection whatsoever to Patriotism of any kind, instead promotes servitude and obedience to authority no matter how it slices The Constitution to shreds.
LikeLike
More than just a few.
LikeLike
@ the Birch & Barley after 35 minutes, which is good but not fast enough yet.
On the way I saw a tiny bird, smaller than a sparrow.
LikeLike
Perhaps a wren.
LikeLike
Yes.
LikeLike
My three wren houses are occupied. A male wren is constantly traveling around The Ranch and singing LOUDly, near the three wren houses. Hmm. He must be a lone male wren with three girlfriends. I never hear but the one wren. He a bigamist.
LikeLike
Not going to be able to clean my plate. Good but too much.
LikeLike
The normal American Diet Issued has bountiful helpings which are reflected in the girth of said Americans. Seniors require less intake as their systemic consumption is less, physical exertion is diminished. I order half-size portions so as not to waste, usually they will give a break on the price as well, just ask. 🙂
LikeLike
But with my stick walking I can usually finish it all. Almost made it this evening.
LikeLike
I’d rather order the normal meal and take half of it home. LOVE leftovers!
LikeLike
A nominal 20 minutes to Sloan, up the p. stairs. That makes 113 minutes on the sticks so far this week.
LikeLike
Pete and Nicholas came over this afternoon. Right when I was frying tortillas for my famous Polish Tostadas. That meal has been a staple of mine since the mid 70s. EVERYone loves my tostadas except Pete. When he was a teenager he turned his nose up at them, saying he didn’t like the beans in it. Mine is half bean, half hamburger. You can hardly tell there are beans in it. Well, I don’t think I can tell, but I love beans.
Anyway, Pete has always told me he would never try one again as a grown-up but coincidence planted him at our house this afternoon.
He had three of them, he LOVED them! “See what you’ve been missing, Pete!”
🙂
LikeLike
That’s funny! Silly boy!
LikeLike
My new neighbor to the east is named Harmony.
LikeLike
Interesting…
LikeLike
There is no tall grass around here. But the medium tall grass is now up to almost 6 feet from all the rain.
LikeLike