Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website
John V. Walsh
This Sunday, at midnight, the notorious Section 215 of the Patriot Act is set to expire. Section 215 has been the basis for the bulk collection of communications of all Americans, indeed of all the world. It was born under Bush in the wake of 9/11, and Obama kept it alive in beginning in 2010 -- until now. But on Sunday a stake can be driven through its heart -- if WE act NOW. This is not simply a possibility but a likelihood!
Obama and his co-conspirators, both Republican and Democratic Senate "leadership" are hell-bent on keeping this Frankenstein alive. If they cannot, then they have other monsters in line to take its place. In addition to the original Patriot Act, there are on the table three other bills, all phony reforms of the U.S. Patriot Act.
Yesterday a large group of civil libertarian and other organizations sent a letter to the Senate leadership calling for the Senate to block not only Section 215 of the original Patriot Act but also all three ersatz reform bills, which are the USA Freedom Act (already defeated once in the Senate), a bill put forward by Senator Burr and another put forward by Senator Feinstein.
The stunning breadth of the opposition to all the schemes for keeping the Spy State alive is conveyed by the extraordinarily diverse list of signing organizations -- from the ACLU to Tea Party Nation, from American Library Association to Gun Owners of America, from CREDO to Republican Liberty Caucus, from Electronic Frontier Foundation to Human Rights Watch. And as their letter makes clear, they want neither Patriot Act nor any of the so-called "reforms" being touted to keep it alive. So the possibility of a victory has turned into the likelihood of one. But action is required NOW.
Dustin Volz of The National Journal who has done yeoman's work in following these developments has identified ten key Senators who can are in a position to do gravedigger's work on the Spy State come Sunday. They are:
1. Rand Paul, R, Kentucky who has led the opposition with his filibuster last week for which he deserves extraordinary praise.
2. Angus King, I, Maine.
3. Michael Enzi, R, Wyoming.
4. Mark Kirk, R, Illinois.
5. Bill Cassidy, R, Louisiana.
6. Kelly Ayote, R, New Hampshire.
7. Jerry Moran, R, Kansas.
8. Mike Crapo, R, Idaho.
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