[theknife]

the House voted today to make the Patriot Act permanent, 257-171, moving the bill on to the Senate. it includes things like this:

Order any person or entity to turn over "any tangible things," so long as the FBI specifies that the order is part of an authorized terrorism or intelligence investigation.

Obtain personal data, including medical records, without any specific facts connecting those records to a foreign terrorist.

Prohibit doctors and insurance companies from disclosing to their patients that their medical records have been seized by the government.

Obtain library and book store records, including lists of books checked out, without any specific facts connecting the records to a foreign agent or terrorist.

Obtain private financial records without a court order, and without notification to the person involved.

Conduct intelligence investigations of both United States citizens and permanent residents without probable cause, or even reasonable grounds to believe that they are engaged in criminal activity or are agents of a foreign power.

Investigate U.S. citizens based in part on their exercise of their First Amendment rights, and non-citizens based solely on their exercise of those rights. (Naturally, decisions about what constitutes "in part" are left to a secret court, meeting secretly.)

Those served with Section 215 orders are prohibited from disclosing that fact to anyone -- even their attorney.

feel safer?