CNN: U.S. Senator Rand Paul- The Right to be Left Alone is The Most Precious

Source: This piece was originally posted at The New Democrat Plus

First of all, the Patriot Act is going to expire at midnight in less than two hours from the time this piece is posted, because of Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and his Neoconservatives in his caucus. They could’ve spent the last two weeks on either the USA Freedom Act. That was passed by the House with 388 votes. A huge bipartisan majority of Conservative Republicans and Liberal Democrats in the House.

Or, McConnell could’ve brought the version of the Patriot Act that he expires to the Senate floor. Opened it up to amendments from both sides. Including from Senator Rand Paul and Senator Ron Wyden and several other civil liberty minded Senators from both parties. Mike Lee, Pat Leahy, Jon Tester, Ron Johnson, Mark Heinrich and many others. What the Leader did instead, was to bring the Patriot Act up, knowing that he didn’t have sixty votes for it. And when that became reality, he decided to bring up an extension of the Patriot Act. To buy more time for the Senate to finally pass the bill. Translation, so he could lean on his own members to vote for a long-term bill. To keep the Patriot Act in place indefinitely.

McConnell, knows that if he opens up this debate to amendments, several of them will pass with bipartisan support. Civil liberties, is now a bipartisan issue in Congress. As we saw with the passage of the USA Freedom Act in the House and now with Senate Democrats and Republicans refusing to vote on the old Patriot Act. Because it doesn’t have those civil liberty protections when it comes to warrants. Under the Patriot Act, the government doesn’t need warrants to search people they see as suspicious. They don’t even need evidence, or at least share that evidence with a third-party. Senator Paul, Conservative Libertarian Republican and Senate Wyden, Liberal Democrat, both want the government to have to get warrants before they can search suspects. Which is really what the Fourth Amendment is all about. The protection from unreasonable searches and seizures.

The USA Freedom Act, certainly not perfect, but certainly an improvement over the original Patriot Act. And the Senate, could’ve spent the past two weeks debating the bill and voting on amendments and improving it. So the U.S. Government could protect both our liberty and our security. So the innocent are protected from unreasonable searches and seizures. And government could investigate and prosecute real criminals and terrorists. Under the U.S. Constitution for one and the USA Freedom Act. But no! Thats not good enough for Leader Mitch McConnell. Give him a two-week extension of the old Patriot Act, that the House Republican Leadership has already said they won’t pass. Or give him the original Patriot Act without the new civil liberties protections. Which won’t pass the House, or Senate either.

CNN: U.S. Senator Rand Paul- The Right To Be Left Alone is The Most Precious

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The McLaughlin Group: Video: National Security Surveillance and Hillary Clinton 2016

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This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on Blogger

I covered this last night but President Obama essentially gave the speech that he had to give. And I believe the speech that he wanted to that he and his administration are aware of the concerns that. Americans have over their privacy at it relates to the surveillance reports that the NSA and other agencies. Cover but that he and his National Security Council are going forward in doing what they believe they need. To do to protect the country and will try to find a way that better protects our privacy.

Benghazi is only big news to Republicans and others who do not like Hillary Clinton. And she’ll find Democrats and I’m one of them who do not like her that much as a presidential candidate. Because she’s too safe, too centrist, not Liberal enough for me and a lot of other Democrats. And other reasons I’ll spare you for now but the only real threat she has to not being elected President of the United States. In about three years other than not running for president. Still a possibility comes from her center-left in the Democratic Party real Liberal Democrats who want to move in a clear direction.

One thing I agree with Bob Gates on is that Richard Nixon is our strangest president in at least. Modern times let’s say since TV has been with us since the late 1940s. But like a lot of other president’s he’s someone who looks better as history moves along because of his. Success’s in foreign policy and even making energy independence and putting Welfare reform and broader health care reform. On the national agenda even though he failed get to major legislation passed in those areas.

Here’s an example of bad Bipartisanship. What is going on in Congress right now with Iran. For the first time in thirty-five years America has a chance. To get a real diplomatic agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran over their nuclear weapons program. With a chance later on of reaching an agreement that may lead to both countries opening up a dialog. That could lead to the countries back to diplomatic relations with each other and officially talking to each other again. Having a formal relationship with each other that would include international trade. And Congressional Democrats and Republicans for political reasons and what they are trying to do with new sanctions. Would end that possibility.

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PBS: Video: NewsHour: Brooks and Marcus on President Obama’s Surveillance Reforms, Benghazi

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This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on Blogger

The speech on national intelligence that President Obama gave, was almost a speech that he had to give because of the political situation with so many Americans on both the Left and Right. Worried about government spying on them especially innocent civilians. And with the Obama Administration being caught spying on people and the country starting to look like a National Security State. And less like a Liberal Democracy.

The way Hillary Clinton get’s beat in 2016 if she get’s beat at all and right now she’s the favorite both to win the Democratic nomination for president and the presidency itself, but the way she’s get’s beat is from a strong center-left Liberal Democrat, no one on the Far-Left can beat her whether it’s Bernie Sanders or Dennis Kucinich, but someone like Brian Schweitzer or Martin O’Malley. One a former governor and the current Governor of Maryland in Martin O’Malley. Because they both have solid liberal credentials unlike Hillary. Both would be liked by young voters. Not so much Hillary who looks like an establishment inside Washington politician politically. And both would be able to raise a lot of money.

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The Rachel Maddow Show: Dan Rather- ‘This is Demolishing The Trust in Government’

Interesting to hear Rachel Maddow ggo off on big government power (for perhaps the first time in her entire life) when it comes to civil liberties and national security, which I agree with her on. But it would be very interesting to hear he give an editorial as a so-called Progressive (as she says she is) give and editorial about governmental power when it comes to economic policy. And to hear if she believes if the Federal Government has any limits when it comes to economic policy at all.

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