Roughly half of the laws that make up the PATRIOT Act are due to expire Dec 31st, and this week Congress will begin the debate about what should be renewed. The Democrats, despite their tough post-election words, have continued to bend over and take it from the Republicans on several key votes so far this year; thus, this is a good time to remind them in which direction they should be voting.
On Sept. 13, 2001, while the fires were still ablaze at the World Trade Center, the Senate hastily approved with a near-zero debate what would eventually become the Patriot Act.
When the final vote was held the following month, members of Congress were required to vote on the bill without time to read it. The measure “has been debated in the most undemocratic way possible, and it is not worthy of this institution,” Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said at the time. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, added later: “Almost all significant legislation since 9/11 has been rushed through in a tone of urgency with reference to the tragedy.”
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