
House Introduces Bill to Repeal the Patriot Act - signa11
http://www.freedomworks.org/content/house-introduces-bill-repeal-patriot-act
======
bkurtz13
I really want to believe this could become reality. But the past surrounding
this issue, as well as seemingly widespread apathy about our loss of civil
liberties, leaves me cynical.

Nearly every time I fly, I hear someone in the security line (which to me
resembles a cattle chute) remarking that they're in fact glad for the
inconvenience, as they somehow feel safer. Nearly every family member or
friend with whom I discuss Edward Snowden's revelations and the vast injustice
of what the NSA is doing couldn't care less.

I really don't have much hope for this bill. But I really wish I could believe
in it as much as my younger self would have.

~~~
Lawtonfogle
People value 'feeling safer' far more than 'being safer' or 'having rights'.
This is the classical problem of not appreciating what you have until it's
gone.

~~~
jmccree
For an example of this, in GA last year a bill was passed that allowed people
with weapons carry licenses (who have to be fingerprinted, background checked,
etc.) to carry weapons into unsecured government buildings. Immediately local
governments began complaining about now having to install metal detectors and
have police officers to screen people for weapons before entering their
buildings.

Local government officials said they didn't "feel safe" with the new law, even
though by virtue of being an unsecured building, nothing prevented a person
with illegal intentions from entering with a weapon before or after the law.
The law just exposed the faulty thinking that a "no guns" sticker on the front
door would keep bad guys out.

------
mfringel
Full text of bill: [https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-
bill/1466...](https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-
bill/1466/text)

~~~
jdp23
And here's a couple of other articles with additional context and quotes

\- [http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/civil-
rights/236641-l...](http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/civil-
rights/236641-legislate-against-big-brother)

\-
[http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/03/24/3638234/house-m...](http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/03/24/3638234/house-
members-move-repeal-patriot-act-strongest-anti-surveillance-bill-date/)

------
clarkm
Since it's HN, I'll note that one of the cosponsors, Thomas Massie, is both a
Mechanical Engineer and an entrepreneur. In the mid-90s, he and his wife (also
an MIT engineer) started SensAble Technologies, a company which develops
haptic feedback hardware and software. He has also built his own off the grid
house, and even appeared on Junkyard Wars.

------
kmeves
Can someone who is informed on this shed some light on its shortcomings? I
know this is new, but the article on the bill is a bit too supportive that it
feels highly biased. I can't help but feel that the line about collection on
foreign enemies for WMD's is some sort of loophole. I agree with bkurtz--its
surprising how few people care about Snowden's revelations.

~~~
happyscrappy
>the line about collection on foreign enemies for WMD's is some sort of
loophole

The view that the NSA should do no spying at all is a minority absurdist
viewpoint that is easily discarded.

~~~
JoeAltmaier
No it isn't. The NSA doesn't have to exist at all. It didn't used to. Its
questionable that they do anything positive. The discussion is very much
worthwhile.

~~~
refurb
The US has been spying on communications since it's inception. It may not have
been called the "NSA", but the activities have always happened.

------
Balgair
[http://whoismyrepresentative.com/](http://whoismyrepresentative.com/)

Go ahead and give them a call to voice you opinion on how you want them to
vote. Democracy only works if you participate in it. Remember that phone calls
and actual letters are worth a lot to a Rep. Go ahead and give your senators a
call too. Make sure to save all 3 numbers in your phone for easy access, that
way anytime you want to participate in democracy, it is easier to do so.

------
ck2
Careful what you wish for. Instead of one big target bill with a set of laws
allowing unconstitutional activity by the government, they will replace it
with a ton of tiny laws buried in other bills that are impossible to target as
a group.

Actually now that I think about it, Congress barely passes any bills anyway
anymore so that would be tricky for them, but since many of them are there for
decades, they have plenty of time.

Term limits really would make sense.

~~~
patrickmay
> Term limits really would make sense.

Three terms in the House, two in the Senate. Eighteen years is more than
enough time for anyone to hold that much power.

A nice side effect would be more people working hard at the state level rather
than seeing the state legislature as just a stepping stone to national office.

~~~
worklogin
Two terms in the Senate is 12 years, two in the house is 4.

So I don't know where you got 18 from!

~~~
chrisparsons
Assuming one person would hit both term limits: 2 6-year terms in the Senate
plus 3 2-year terms in the house would be 18.

~~~
worklogin
I saw two and two. My mistake.

------
mkempe
"A Republic, if you can keep it." [1]

This is a positive step. It will be interesting to watch who opposes it, and
how, in the various branches of government.

[1] [http://constitutioncenter.org/learn/educational-
resources/hi...](http://constitutioncenter.org/learn/educational-
resources/historical-documents/perspectives-on-the-constitution-a-republic-if-
you-can-keep-it)

------
unics
The disconnect between the legislature and the population is too wide now to
expect this to come to fruition. But one can hope.

------
tempodox
Passing this bill would be the first step in restoring the rule of law and
hope for the survival of democracy in the U.S. Too good to be true.

------
glasz
yeah. nice try. won't happen.

the entirety of domestic and foreign politics of the national security state,
that is the United States today, is based on the policies introduced or made
possible by this very act. you, the people, and your electorate won't just
undo 15 years of tyranny without spilling blood.

hard words, i know. but that's how i, as a foreigner, see it, see your
country. you won't take anything back by making a check on a piece of paper or
signing online petitions. that's gone, now.

------
astrodust
How ironic that FreedomWorks
([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreedomWorks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreedomWorks))
is the source for this reporting.

~~~
adventured
What's the irony?

Here's their motto from the Wiki link of yours:

"Lower Taxes. Less Government. More Freedom."

Ending the Patriot Act would accomplish two of those.

They're apparently in part a libertarian leaning group; libertarians are
usually against the Patriot Act.

~~~
astrodust
The same money that brought about the Bush government, which instituted most
of this junk in the first place, is behind FreedomWorks.

"Freedom" for billionaires means something different than for you and me.

