USA Freedom Act - Bill To End Data Collection on Americans

Ok it looks like we have something new developing. A bill has been introduced by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt to get rid of the data collections on US citizens. It will be interesting to see what becomes of this, and I will be watching this closely.

What also bothered me recently is that Feinstein expressed outrage at the US spying on the leaders of our allies. But where was the outrage for the spying on US citizens? You know, the people that she was elected to protect?

A BILL To reform the authorities of the Federal Government to require the production of certain business records, con-duct electronic surveillance, use pen registers and trap and trace devices, and use other forms of information gathering for foreign intelligence, counter terrorism, and criminal purposes, and for other purposes.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ending Eavesdropping, Dragnet-collection, and On-line Monitoring Act’’ or the ‘‘USA FREEDOM Act’’.

Click this link to read the PDF of the bill.
USA Freedom Act

reply to post by elouina

Sounds real nice....

If the bill passed into law, does anyone believe that the government would stop collecting our data?

It is Unconstitutional for our President to execute American citizens without due process too.
Has it stopped him from pulling drone strikes on US citizens on foreign soil... without a trial???

reply to post by elouina


It's already illegal to spy on Americans. Each case is supposed to have a what, I think it's a mandatory 15 year sentence or something along those lines?

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who will watch the watchmen?

This is why rational human beings should try their best to move away from governments and further toward anarchy. Laws are not created for the lawmakers.

Well, Mr Leahy has been a sitting US Senator since 1975.... Err... No typo there. 1975.

I trust him entirely. Yes indeed... I am sure he has absolutely nothing but OUR best interest at heart and really, don't you believe he's been against it all in his heart all this time? Of course he has been... He's just been too busy to say anything before now. Yeah.. That must be it.

What could go wrong tho? I'm glad we have people like him looking out for us. Yup... (/sarcasm)

Don't mind me... I'm just a wee cynical about people who have been in Congress as a source of the entire problem just a few years under what I've been alive.

Ambitious and perhaps even noble attempt...

I would however prefer oour esteemed politicians PREVENT this type of insidious "law" be prevented from ever starting in the first place.

Once the bull has jumped the fence...

reply to post by elouina


Yes, as another poster mentioned, isn't this already illegal? Isn't there something in the Constitution? The problem is the mass of brain dead citizenry focused on the wrong priorities, such as facebook, Jersey Shore or TMZ. They won't wake up until its too late.

reply to post by PlanetXisHERE


The problem is? No.. there isn't anything really illegal about what they've done, that I can find. Literally.

It must be just incredible to be them. Think about it... The Constitution doesn't directly address this in a clear way, so, we have nothing to form law but the interpretation of courts since. That SHOULD be enough, huh?

Oh..but then.. that FISA thing huh? There is the incredible part. They don't have to worry about breaking laws. They literally have an arm of the Judiciary, in their pocket, and operating entirely in deep secrecy. The court can make NEW law just for the occasion through NEW interpretations. I mean, what else could they ask for?

...WE could ask for another round of tearing the lid off the festering mess. It's happened before. Church and Pike in the 70s. We have a model to follow..and Feinstein may just do it too. SOMETHING pissed that lady off in a whole new and serious way...very recently. She's done a 180 flip ..and she's got the power of a Ted Kennedy for action with or without anyone else's help or approval.

We can hope.

butcherguy
If the bill passed into law, does anyone believe that the government would stop collecting our data?

Nope. They shouldn't be doing it now, but they do. They'll keep on doing it.

I don't get it. why are they interested in phone conversations I have my my husband?
All I do is call him at work and say 'bring home some milk' or something like that.
The gov't actually spends money listening in on that mundane crap. It's insane.

FlyersFan

butcherguy
If the bill passed into law, does anyone believe that the government would stop collecting our data?

Nope. They shouldn't be doing it now, but they do. They'll keep on doing it.

I don't get it. why are they interested in phone conversations I have my my husband?
All I do is call him at work and say 'bring home some milk' or something like that.
The gov't actually spends money listening in on that mundane crap. It's insane.

They do it, because they are evil and they can. Ok so I am a tidge cranky tonight... They want our data so the can weed through bajillions of calls and miss the crucial one in a haystack. I can think of better ways to catch terrorists. Like hmm... I got it. Why not listen to other countries that warn you! (Boston) Grrrr...