Jack Hunter
Rare.us
5/23/2015
After Rand Paul’s ten hour long filibuster against a clean reauthorization of the Patriot Act Wednesday, the New York Times editorialized (emphasis added):
He may have annoyed Senate colleagues by seizing the floor for a marathon monologue on Wednesday, but Senator Rand Paul did Americans a singular service by forcing attention to the fact that their civil liberties remain at stake as Congress drifts toward a renewal of the Patriot Act that is likely to do too little to rein in government surveillance programs…
…Today, almost every 2016 presidential candidate believes that Section 215 of the Patriot Act – the provision that allows mass spying – is an essential part of national security that should continue indefinitely, despite federal courts’ questioning its constitutionality and legality and consistent majorities of Americans opposing it.
The Democrat and Republican establishments do not want this debate. For them, there is no debate–the federal government should have unlimited surveillance capabilities over American citizens. And if you disagree, “9/11.”
Paul wants this issue on the table. As the New York Times framed his filibuster, “Senator Rand Paul did Americans a singular service by forcing attention to the fact that their civil liberties remain at stake.”
Rand Paul wants this debate. He thinks America must have this debate.
This week, he got one step closer to winning it.
The complete article is at Rare.us
Related: Rand Paul Filibuster: ‘Your Rights Are Many and Infinite… You Do Have a Right to Privacy’
…“Some conservatives say, well, there is no right to privacy. I don’t see it in the Constitution,” Paul observed. But those conservatives forget the text of the Ninth Amendment, he countered. “The Ninth Amendment says that all the rights aren’t listed, but those that aren’t listed are not to be disparaged. Even our Founding Fathers worried about this.”…
‘Tonight My Filibuster Continues’: Rand Paul to Take Another Stand Against ‘Illegal NSA Spying’
…“I will stand up for your rights and those of every American,” Paul continued. “It is time to end illegal NSA spying. I am insisting on a full debate and amendments on NSA reform, not just once again ramming through the so-called Patriot Act. Like and Share if you will stand with me tonight in defense of the Bill of Rights!”…
Edward Snowden: Rand Paul’s ‘Filibuster’ Is a ‘Sea Change’ (video)
…”It represents a sea change from a few years ago, when intrusive new surveillance laws were passed without any kind of meaningful opposition or debate. Whatever you think about Rand Paul or his politics, it’s important to remember that when he took the floor to say “No” to any length of reauthorization of the Patriot Act, he was speaking for the majority of Americans—more than 60% of whom want to see this kind of mass surveillance reformed or ended.”…
McConnell’s Patriot Act Plot Veers Off Script
…The strategy left House Speaker John Boehner and his staff baffled, sources close to the speaker told National Journal earlier this week. And House Republicans were furious that the Senate slow-walked legislation that passed the lower chamber 338-to-88 nearly two weeks ago.
“[McConnell] does everything for a reason,” said Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who stood on the Senate floor with Paul and fellow conservative Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan into the wee hours of Saturday morning. “So I’m still trying to figure out the reason.”
Senate Republican reformers agreed. “This was an entirely avoidable scenario,” Sen. Mike Lee said after the vote. “I think we should have put it on the floor earlier. It was a big mistake not to.”…
h/t Congressman Thomas Massie who wrote:
“I don’t necessarily agree with the title, but this article contains a fairly accurate description of what happened procedurally with the #PatriotAct last night in the Senate. Senator Rand Paul held his ground, demanding a transparent debate and vote on amendments to the #FreedomAct. A debate and vote on amendments is the same thing Rep. Justin Amash and I fought for in the House.
“When no one would budge last night in the Senate, provisions of the Patriot Act moved one week closer to expiring. I say let it expire, or better yet, repeal the whole Patriot Act.”
Mitch McConnell staged an epic gamble over U.S. spying powers — and lost.
The Republican leader pledged to keep senators in Washington through the weekend to finish work on expiring provisions of the Patriot Act, but Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) called his bluff.
Instead, when the smoke cleared in the early hours of Saturday morning, the 2016 presidential contender was the one with bragging rights…
