GOP presidential candidate and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul sparked heated debate and used procedural opposition to force the law that allows the government to collect bulk phone data to expire temporarily on Sunday.
Paul was able to delay a vote at least through Tuesday on a House-passed bill, known as the USA Freedom Act, which would curtail the program’s controversial practices.
The current law that allows the bulk phone data program, the Patriot Act, is set to expire at midnight.
“People here in town think I’m making a huge mistake,” Paul said. “Some of them I think secretly want there to be an attack on the United States so they can blame it on me.”
Earlier on Sunday, Paul objected to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s proposal to extend less controversial surveillance program, prompting a heated response from the fellow Kentucky Republican, who called Paul’s objection “a campaign of demagoguery and disinformation.” Read more at the Washington Post.
{CB Frommer-Matzav.com Newscenter}
The Patriot Act is efficient planning for hopeful regressed terror. We need it before we need to see more terror in our nations.
I want to feel safer at the mall.
Thanks.
Rand Paul is trying to convince Americans that they have more to fear from the government than from terrorists. And he is succeeding — he is getting huge support on the internet.
The demonization of the US government needs to stop. Now.
Arguments against the Patriot Act:
Breach Of Privacy
This act allows the government to tap into phones, gather personal records, and many other privacy infringing things. Many Americans view this as a violation of their constitutional rights.
Wrongful Imprisonment
While the Patriot Act was put into place to stop terrorism, it has had a nasty after math. People suspected of terrorist activity have no civil rights. They are put in prison and held without due process, regardless if they are innocent or not.
No Longer Anonymous
Any online or phone interactions that are made can be traced to precisely who you are. The government has gained access to information about IP addresses, GPS devices, and many other ways to track people down.