These people are evil, sick, and tightening their grasp

[AZRedhawk44]

http://www.infowars.com/coming-next-tsa-taser-bracelets/

Yes, infowars.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/aviation-security/2008/jul/1/want-some-torture-with-your-peanuts/

Washington Times confirms.


TSA/DHS seriously looked at mandatory GPS/taser bracelets for all passengers on airlines and in airports.  Then speculated further, on their applicability at political protests, or as a method of "interrogation."

[lee n. field]

 Ever read S. M. Stirling's The Stone Dogs?

His arch-evil antagonists, the Draka, use something very like that for managing the more dangerous "serfs" (slaves).

[Jamisjockey]

It's an old story.  Which bothers me even more. Why were the news agencies not trumpeting this from every available corner?

[SADShooter]

Bracelets, transportation, purpose in life. Sounds eerily familiar.

http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=ben+hur+row+well+and+live&tnr=21&vid=&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3Dv.4960971419091072%26pid%3D15.1&tit=Row+Well+and+Live

[longeyes]

A lot of us bought the baloney after 9/11 that we needed an iron grip to repel the barbarians.  I was one of them.  Man, was I wrong.  DHS and its various tentacles is going to be the death of this Republic.

[Jamisjockey]

A lot of us bought the baloney after 9/11 that we needed an iron grip to repel the barbarians.  I was one of them.  Man, was I wrong.  DHS and its various tentacles is going to be the death of this Republic.

Few people will admit to being wrong on the Patriot act, etc. 
I was wrong in believing the lesser of two evils argument in 2000. 

[Jocassee]

Few people will admit to being wrong on the Patriot act, etc. 
I was wrong in believing the lesser of two evils argument in 2000. 

Same here. In my younger, more ignorant days, I was a proponent of the Patriot Act as well...then I found APS.

[roo_ster]

Few people will admit to being wrong on the Patriot act, etc. 
I was wrong in believing the lesser of two evils argument in 2000. 

I voted for Harry Browne in 2000 for POTUS.  The last capital-L Libertarian Party POTUS candidate I thought worthy of my vote.  Gary Johnson is, sadly, not impressive for the 2012 POTUS rodeo.

IIRC, I don't think I was much a USA-PATRIOT ACT supporter as a "take the war to them, using the rules of war" supporter.  Extending drug-war provisions to cover terrorism cases was not particularly impressive, IMO.  However, if there is evidence I was a PATRIOT ACT puffer, I am more than ready to make my mea culpas.

The thing is, "the lesser of two evils" argument is usually true.  More suck is worse than less suck.  It is not, however, very satisfying.  Especially when there is not much chance to get someone who is a net positive for liberty into office.

Oh, and yes, DHS/TSA needs to DIAF.

[Tallpine]

Few people will admit to being wrong on the Patriot act, etc. 
I was wrong in believing the lesser of two evils argument in 2000. 

I was never ok with the Patriot act 

I was furious with Minetta for not requiring all pilots to be armed 9-12-2001, and disgusted with GWB for not firing that Clintonista 

Given the information known/disseminated at the time, I was ok with the initial Afghan operation.

I was dubious about Iraq-2003 

[charby]

A lot of us bought the baloney after 9/11 that we needed an iron grip to repel the barbarians.  I was one of them.  Man, was I wrong.  DHS and its various tentacles is going to be the death of this Republic.

In the 2004 Iowa Caucus I tried to get a plank added to the county platform to abolish the Patriot Act and Dept of Homeland Security. Everyone looked at me like I was nuts.

[rcnixon]

It's an old story.  Which bothers me even more. Why were the news agencies not trumpeting this from every available corner?

Because they are the organs of state propaganda.

R

[Battle Monkey of Zardoz]

Patriot Act need to be gone. IIRC it was written under Clinton

[kgbsquirrel]

Patriot Act need to be gone. IIRC it was written under Clinton

Gee, what happened? Kosovo and the embassy bombings weren't big enough to cram it through congress? Or was congress still shellshocked from the AWB attrition rate?

[SADShooter]

Gee, what happened? Kosovo and the embassy bombings weren't big enough to cram it through congress? Or was congress still shellshocked from the AWB attrition rate?

Indeed. 9/11 was certainly a critical lubricant facilitating this particular pounding, but it seems naive to suggest we wouldn't be a good distance down this road regardless.

FTR, my native skepticism on the Patriot Act was seduced by the apparent unity and sense of purpose post-9/11, a wool cloak for the wolf known as "never let a crisis go to waste". Human nature wins out again...

[lee n. field]

Gee, what happened? Kosovo and the embassy bombings weren't big enough to cram it through congress? Or was congress still shellshocked from the AWB attrition rate?

I remember that.  R.s shot down a proposal for a DHS, as sounding "too Nazi".

[Blakenzy]

  It's only to restrain the dark, bearded terrorists that hate us for our Freedoms silly. It's for YOUR safety. Are you against SAFETY? Do you HATE America? Maybe you should go on the no-fly list.

 I'm a patriot USA!!!! USA!!!! USA!!!!

[geronimotwo]

if your not for us your against us!

[ArfinGreebly]

Patriot Act need to be gone. IIRC it was written under Clinton

Written in 1995.

Biden claimed it as his baby.

[geronimotwo]

does anyone remember what the vote looked like when it was passed.  how many for/against/absent?

[dogmush]

does anyone remember what the vote looked like when it was passed.  how many for/against/absent?

http://educate-yourself.org/cn/patriotact20012006senatevote.shtml

[AZRedhawk44]

http://educate-yourself.org/cn/patriotact20012006senatevote.shtml

Good old Ron Paul...

[dogmush]

It was so non-controversial in '06 that Obama actually voted something other than "Present".

[gunsmith]

you guys got mad at me for saying patriot act was OK under Bush, meaning we needed to keep on electing R's....I guess you guys were right, as usual.

[HankB]

. . .  I was furious with Minetta for not requiring all pilots to be armed 9-12-2001, and disgusted with GWB for not firing that Clintonista  . . . 

Don't forget that mere weeks before 9/11, it was Minetta who issued a directive specifically prohibiting extra scrutiny of Middle Easterners at airport security checkpoints. And GWB still wouldn't fire that <expletive deleted>. 

[Tallpine]

Don't forget that mere weeks before 9/11, it was Minetta who issued a directive specifically prohibiting extra scrutiny of Middle Easterners at airport security checkpoints. And GWB still wouldn't fire that <expletive deleted>. 

It really makes you wonder sometimes ...