Patriot Act: Take 2
Oh thank god. Just when I thought I still had some privacy and a bit of assurance that not EVERYTHING I was doing was being watched or collected, the government has drafted the “Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003″, aka Patriot II.
From the EFF:
With the full effect of the USA Patriot Act (USAPA) on civil liberties in the United States still unknown, and without a shred of evidence that USAPA was required to help fight terrorism, the Bush Administration has been preparing a second piece of legislation. Tentatively titled the “Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003,” it was instantly dubbed Patriot II or Son of Patriot. For purposes of this report, it's called USAPA II. Recently Attorney General Ashcroft denied that a bill was in the works, although he admitted that the leaked document is “what we've been thinking.”
It contains the usual stuff, decreased privacy for Americans, immunity to businesses that give up personal information about its customers, punishment for use of cryptography, instant police access to credit reports. And the beauty of all of this you may ask? You NEVER have to be notified its going on! Wow, and I thought I was going to be bothered.
You can find more information about the Patriot Act II here:
Current Draft
Eff.org Analysis
GODDAMNIT! I love the fact that I live in a country that fights to free other peoples homelands, and then runs a police state in its own land.
Comment by Mark — April 18, 2003 @ 12:21 pm
Visit my blog, where I post Police State Updates each week.
Comment by Joseph Almond — June 4, 2003 @ 3:01 am