[vox] Fwd from EFF: New PATRIOT-act spying powers being proposed

[Henry House]

While politics is generally left off the Vox lists, I am pretty sure that
this issue is important to most people interested in Free software who live
in USA regardless of their political preferences in other areas. If you
don't want government of the USA spying on anybody who stands out (like
people who choose to use a Free operating system instead of the "standard"
OS), the please write to congress about this. Thank you.

----- Forwarded message from EFF Action Center <action at eff.org> -----

Date: Tue, 24 May 2005 16:59:32 -0500
Subject: EFF Action Alert: Say No to New PATRIOT Spying Powers!
Organization: EFF

Dear EFF supporter,

It's not often that we send out a special action alert,
but in this case, time is of the essence.  This Thursday,
May 26, your senator will consider a bill that puts our
most basic civil liberties in grave danger.  Read below
to learn more and take action today - your voice matters!    

: . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . :

* Action Alert: Say No to New PATRIOT Spying Powers!

The Senate Intelligence Committee is about to consider, 
behind closed doors, a bill that would not only renew 
the USA PATRIOT Act's most dangerous provisions, but 
would also expand the government's power to secretly 
demand the private records of people who aren't 
suspected of any crime - without a judge's approval.

The Justice Department already has dangerously broad 
subpoena powers under the USA PATRIOT Act.  PATRIOT 
Section 215 allows intelligence investigators to demand 
all kinds of private records about citizens who 
aren't suspected of spying or terrorism.  PATRIOT 
Section 505, meanwhile, expanded the government's 
ability to use "National Security Letters" to secretly 
obtain data on private online and financial 
activities without court oversight or probable cause.

The new bill not only makes these highly controversial 
provisions permanent, it marries the worst aspects of 
the two, allowing new "administrative subpoenas" in 
national security cases that would let the government 
secretly demand all types of records without a 
judge's permission.

The Justice Department tried to get this super-charged 
subpoena power inserted into PATRIOT back in 2001. 
But even in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Congress 
refused to allow this kind of unchecked surveillance 
power.

The closed-door mark-up session for this bill will take 
place this Thursday, May 26.  The time to act is now.

Make your voice heard!
<http://action.eff.org/site/Advocacy?id=133>

: . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . : . :


----- End forwarded message -----

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Henry House
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