# US Senate wants us all to DIE! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 16, 2005, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957 "2005-12-16T19:06:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/1 "2005-12-16T19:06:23Z")
[Patriot Act deemed too intrusive](http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/16/senate.patriot.ap/index.html) on the rights of Americans! Among the things The Government can’t do anymore (legally): > [@](#): > > roving wiretaps and secret warrants for books, records and other items from businesses, hospitals and organizations such as libraries. This is a dark day for America! Now The Terrorists can talk at will on telephones, anonymous until we know who The are–at which time it’ll be too late and they’ll be nothing but fried goo from their C4 vests. No wiretaps? No secret warrants? nd now no (unspecified) torture of Enemies Of The State? That’s SO 1970s! Grow up Congress! This ain’t a democracy–it’s becoming a freaking Republic! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/2 "2005-12-16T19:11:37Z")
Why does America hate America so much? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/3 "2005-12-16T19:14:37Z")
Won’t somebody think of the children? Damn believers in Personal Liberty. You’d think these “rights” were written down somewhere, the way they go on about them. ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/4 "2005-12-16T19:21:50Z")
If library cards are outlawed, only outlaws will have library cards. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/5 "2005-12-16T19:25:35Z")
It’s about damn time SOME politicians pulled their heads out of their asses. Down with the Patriot Act. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/6 "2005-12-16T19:30:28Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > It’s about damn time SOME politicians pulled their heads out of their asses. Down with the Patriot Act. Figures, every time someone starts a thread about the Patriot Act, some pinko liberal communist has to come in and insult **America**. > [@](#): > > O beautiful for spacious skies, > For amber waves of grain, > For purple mountain majesties > Above the fruited plain! > America! America! ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/7 "2005-12-16T19:59:34Z")
> [@](#): > > WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate on Friday refused to reauthorize major portions of the USA Patriot Act after critics complained they infringed too much on Americans’ privacy and liberty, dealing a huge defeat to the Bush administration and Republican leaders. > > In a crucial vote early Friday, the bill’s Senate supporters were not able to get the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster by Sens. Russ Feingold, D-Wisconsin, and Larry Craig, R-Idaho, and their allies. The final vote was 52-47. Feingold or Craig for President in '08! ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/8 "2005-12-16T20:02:08Z")
Check it out–a REPUBLICAN from IDAHO didn’t even want it…um. Wonder if he’s got plans! DEATH TO IDAHO! ---
**Author:** ![flintlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cc9497/32.png) [@flintlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flintlock)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/9 "2005-12-16T20:05:49Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > This ain’t a democracy–it’s becoming a freaking Republic! That’s not a good thing. In fact, though, it’s not even a republic, but a confederation, and all the red states get two senate votes no matter how few people they have. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/10 "2005-12-16T21:13:17Z")
Yes… When this was mentioned on the news today while I was driving with my boss, his response was, basically, “Who cares about civil liberties? If you don’t have anything to hide why should you care?”. This exact speech came out of his mouth when the whole NSA spying illegally on Americans thing was announced. A man who is in his early sixties should know better. Ah well, there is a reason he listens religiously to Hannity, Limbaugh, and the like. From the bits and pieces I hear when I don’t have my MP3 player’s earbuds jammed in my ears (I’ve found it’s the only way to ride with him without getting too annoyed) it seems to me that Hannity is far more of a righty-trog than Limbaugh is. Looks like King Rush the Addicted may lose his spot sometime soon. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/11 "2005-12-16T21:14:45Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Check it out–a REPUBLICAN from IDAHO didn’t even want it…um. Wonder if he’s got plans! DEATH TO IDAHO! Goddam potato eating surrender monkeys!!! ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/12 "2005-12-16T21:18:08Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > Figures, every time someone starts a thread about the Patriot Act, some pinko liberal communist has to come in and insult **America**. You got me. I admit it. I hate EVERYTHING! bwah ha ha ha haaaaaahhhh! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/13 "2005-12-16T21:26:37Z")
What the hell is going on here? This looks like good news! > [@SteveG1](#): > > You got me. I admit it. I hate EVERYTHING! You take that back! Eve Hing is one of my best friends! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/14 "2005-12-16T21:28:11Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > You got me. I admit it. I hate EVERYTHING! Gaaah! It’s Phred! ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/15 "2005-12-16T21:44:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > What the hell is going on here? This looks like good news! Good news? That The Senate has effectively pulled down our collective pants and shackled our hands to our collective ankles? This “Civil Liberties” crap has done nothing but disappoint the masses through unobtainably high expectations. It’s just not realistic to expect everyone to ‘play nice.’ The fact that we accept police forces on national, state, city, county and city levels is a direct admission of the fallacy that people should be allowed any freedom to act without scrutiny. Either we allow ourselves to be fully policed and protected or we accept complete responsibility for our own personal safety–there can be no middle ground! Those who call for a moderation of those two extremes are simply denying the demonstrated fact that shades of grey are where the predators thrive. If we want protection to be provided to us by our government we can only suffer if we don’t allow it the full authority it needs. Protection without restraint is like a watchdog with no teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/16 "2005-12-17T00:55:19Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > If we want protection to be provided to us by our government we can only suffer if we don’t allow it the full authority it needs. Protection without restraint is like a watchdog with no teeth. As someone convinced that his odds of being killed in a terrorist attack are about the same as his odds of being struck by lightning while holding the jackpot Powerball ticket and being fellatiated by Heather Graham…what are my options? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/17 "2005-12-17T01:09:52Z")
wait a minute. You mean the OP was _serious_??? fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/18 "2005-12-17T01:14:38Z")
I for one _applaud_ our imminent death. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/19 "2005-12-17T01:31:33Z")
:sticks tongue in **wring** ’s ear: ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957/20 "2005-12-17T01:32:06Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > As someone convinced that his odds of being killed in a terrorist attack are about the same as his odds of being struck by lightning while holding the jackpot Powerball ticket and being fellatiated by Heather Graham…what are my options? > > -Joe I would choose the powerball ticket and Heather Graham. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-senate-wants-us-all-to-die/335957.md?page=2)