Rawstory.com reports that former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson is calling for repeal of the Patriot Act. Gov. Johnson, a candidate for the Libertarian nomination for President, made the call while speaking to a national conference of the American Civil Liberties Union.
“Ten years ago, we learned that the fastest way to pass a bad law is to call it the ‘Patriot Act’ and force Congress to vote on it in the immediate wake of a horrible attack on the United States,” Johnson said. “The irony is that there is really very little about the Patriot Act that is patriotic. Instead, it has turned out to be yet another tool the government is using to erode privacy, individual freedom and the Constitution itself.”
The Patriot Act has drawn opposition from civil libertarians because it allows roving wiretaps, permits surveillance of non-citizens even if they have no affiliation with a terrorist group, and allows new powers to law enforcement if undertaking a “terrorism” investigation.
“Benjamin Franklin had it right,” Johnson continued. “‘Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.’”
“Absolutely, protecting the American people from those who would do us harm is the federal government’s most basic duty. Everyone gets that. But when harm is done, as on 9-11, it is the nature of government to ask for more power and more authority in order to protect us. That’s how we get laws like the Patriot Act.”
Rawstory.com reports that President Obama signed into law a four-year extension of The Patriot Act in May of 2011.
“In fact, we now know that intelligence ‘failures’ of the sort that perhaps allowed 9-11 to happen were not due to a lack of authority, but were most likely the result of dysfunction,” Johnson said. “We can and should fix the dysfunction, but that can be done without granting the government broad new powers to dig in to American’s lives, demand financial records from banks and businesses, and monitor your cell phone because your kid goes to school with a kid whose father might be associated with what might be a terrorist-supporting organization.”
Full report by Eric W. Dolan @ http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/30/gary-johnson-calls-for-repeal-of-the-patriot-act/
I’m considering voting for him. I voted for Obama in 08. He’s been a total disaster, a fraud perpetrated on the American people by right wing globalist banksters. He is more republican than democrat, and too far to the right for my taste. Gary Johnson embodies more of my liberal/progressive mindset.
Gene,
Whatever it is, it’s bad. The argument about whether it is private or government is really just a distraction. The most important thing is that it has got to go. Actually it is clearly an evil hybrid…with many government type features but benefitting a rather select few.
Sorry I only got to drop by once while I was in SoCal. “Suite 3505” has proven to be very interesting read.
Gary
It has been my experience that many people who point to the private ownership of the Federal Reserve System do so because they want the Treasury Department to issue the currency.
Though there are some who are completely opposed to any person, group, agency, etc having a government protected monopoly over the creation of currency and also oppose legal tender laws.
BH @7 has the correct answer about the Fed.
Sorry, T-Rex, but the Federal Reserve is a govenment organization. Like most government organizations there is a lot of special interest control and influence which in this case is more blatant due to the direct involvement of private banks, but it’s still an organization that the government created, the government can control should they choose to do so, and the government can change, amend or abolish at its whim.
Jill @13 see @10 list of state conventions.
CM @ 9: I don’t know when the next state convention is, but California’s is in 4 weeks, and I believe Gary will be there. I also hope that he spends time with Libertarians with more Libertarian views.
Click on his name.
@Let the T-Rex of Talk Radio Entertain U2day // Jan 31, – who the heck is that? Not Rush Limbaugh. Not Wayne Root. I hate a mystery. But someone should dissect Gary’s whole platform. I feel his heart is in the right place but he’s surrounded by questionable individuals. Here’s is answer on Iran that shows he has no idea what’s going on in the world foreign policy wise: http://youtu.be/8slupZrHtjo Shows he’s getting some hard question out there, even in December.
http://www.lp.org/event
Right now Gary Johnson is listening to some of the least libertarian, most special interest driven people in the party, i.e. the Rob “legalize marijuana, screw all the other issues” Kampia types and the Bruce “let the Israelis kill the Palestinians and steal their land” Cohen types and, of course, Wayne “I am allowing Gary to run instead of me in 2012” Root. He needs to have real libertarians around him. It may be time to start organizing something to get his attention. What’s the next LP state convention??
I’m with you fellars…lol.
Q: Is the Fed public or private?
A: Yes.
Let’s not fall victim to the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy_of_the_excluded_middle
T-Rex – Federal Reserve Accounting Unit Dollars (F.R.A.U.D.s) are printed by the bureau of the mint on behalf of the Federal Reserve Board which is appointed by the President.
The Fed reeks of government. The idea that the Fed is private has no evidence to support it – just some stupid cliches and a deep-seated hatred of wealth.
I disagree Beckman, it’s member banks, which issue the fiat money, are listed in phonebooks all across america in the private section white pages separate from govt.
The Federal Reserve is clearly a government agency. It was created by an act of Congress in 1913, and it has been screwing us ever since.
The Board of Governor of the Federal Reserve are appointed by the President, with consent of the Senate. Federal Reserve notes are signed by the Treasurer of the United States and by the Secretary of the Treasury.
The website for the Fed is http://www.federalreserve.gov – the “gov” indicating a government email address.
The Federal Reserve Association is a compulsory cartel of private banks, which are forced to pay dues to the Federal Reserve system in order to be allowed to bank in the United States. But the Federal Reserve Bank itself is clearly a government agency, as Gary Allen pointed out in a 1973 article for “American Opinion.”
@1 Yes, GJ needs to update his issues page for a LP run.
It would also help him among Ron Paul followers if he understood that the FEDERAL RESERVE is a PRIVATE banking entity. It is NOT a part of the Federal Gov’t. I am somewhat shocked he doesn’t know more about what IS the major problem with the economy. Ron Paul has this nailed, Johnson doesn’t even know it’s controlled by private UNelected Banksters !!!
Below is from his issue page.
——————————————————-
Audit the Federal Reserve
THE FEDERAL RESERVE SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT and its actions held to the same level of scrutiny as any other federal department.
The American people deserve to know the extent to which the Fed has purchased private assets at home and abroad.
Many Americans have become interested in the Federal Reserve in recent years. America’s representatives in Washington, D.C. need to also become a lot more interested in how this government institution affects the American economy.
—–
It’s NOT a govt institution Mr. Johnson. After reading Johnson’s website closely, I haven’t been a candidate in twenty years but I could “skin his hide” in front of a Libertarian audience quite easily. He is much more FLAWED big time than just a FRAUD “fair” TAX!. Roger Gary and F.Lee Wrights should go on the offensive, this guy is still running a R campaign and someone needs to show it NOW! Before it is TOO LATE.
Or Mr. Johnson can reaccess his positions and REMOVE items from his website not inline with the LP Platform. He seeks the LP’s nom now NOT the RP’s. If he removes items it is not the same as flip flopping. He just chooses not to highlight those issues any longer on his website or in his campaign.
I highly recommend he spend a weekend reading Dr.Paul’s writing on the Federal Reserve (which AIN’T federal just like Federal Express ain’t federal!). Learn what causes the “Business Cycle” and about Bubbles. If he wants the Paul followers to follow him, he needs to know what some of them care SERIOUSLY about. In fact each and every LP POTUS candidate should spend time watching Ron Paul’s stump speeches and use what they agree with.
You may question such a tactic. I say if it’s worth $45 million and counting I would try to mimic the GOOD Dr. to hopefully gather some of that love and GREEN when Dr. Paul exits the campaign !
There is a political party that believes the family budget is more important than the Federal budget. A political party that is working to restore the hopes and dreams of every hard-working American family.
It is the Libertarian Party. http://www.lp.org/
[email protected].
I’m personally in favor of Gary Johnson getting the LP nomination with R.J. Harris, who was endorsed by Ron Paul for a run in congress as Gary Johnson’s running mate. They both run almost on the same platform and would be a great pro-Libertarian ticket. Johnson/Harris ’12 would be quite the interesting ticket, especially if Mitt Romney wins the GOP nomination.
His issues web page just says he’ll let it expire – but that won’t be til 2015. Gary, update your danged issues page. Thanks 🙂