PATRIOT ACT PASSES

John Loeffler
http://britanniaradio.blogspot.com/2011/02/john-loeffler-steel-on-steel-behind.html#links
http://britanniaradio.blogspot.com/2011/02/john-loeffler-steel-on-steel-changes-in.html
WALID SHOEBAT INTERVIEWS
http://britanniaradio.blogspot.com/2011/02/walid-shoebat-foundation-click-here-to.html
GLENN BECK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LEBaHvJ8Kk&feature=player_embedded

Jim Grant: The Fed Is Now In The Business Of Manipulating The Stock Market...Should Confess It Has Sinned Grievously By Tyler Durden Created 01/28/2011 - 16:03AUDIO ON LINK
http://britanniaradio.blogspot.com/2011/01/published-on-zero-hedge-httpwww.html#links

Jim Grant, who will never be accused of being a fan of the Criminal Reserve, and whose views [1]on what will happen to asset prices in a printer-happy world are gradually being validated, appeared on Bloomberg TV, telling Margaret Brennan upfront that Bernanke owes the world an apology. Alas, after various revolutions around the world have been catalyzed by Bernanke's policies, we have a feeling that ever more oppressed people will soon see the Printer in Chief as a patron saint of violent revolution, alas against crony regimes fully supported by the US (and hopefully the US will view it the same way when its time comes). That aside, Grant's criticism of the Fed should really start to grate on the Chaircreature: I think what would be very good for the Fed if there would be a confession, the Fed should confess that it has sinned grievously, and is in violation of every single precept of its founders and every single convention of classical central banking. Quantitative Easing is a symptom of the difficulties that the Fed has created for itself. The Fed is running a balance sheet which if it were the balance sheet attached to a bank in the private sector would probably move the FDIC to shut it down. The New York Branch of the Fed is leveraged more than 80 to 1.Meaning, that a loss of asset value of less than 1.5% would send it into receivership if it were a different kind of institution...The Fed is now in the business of manipulating the stock market.Jim also has some very critical discussions on how the Fed never settles up on the $3.4 trillion in custodial debt on its books. As always, we can't get enough as more and more mainstream figures turn to bashing that biggest abortion of modern capital markets.

RAND PAUL SAY NO TO PATRIOT ACT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSDBswx90Cs&feature=player_embedded

DOUG HAGMANN HOUR 2 FRI FEB 11,11 ON PATRIOT ACT
http://therothshow.com/show-archives/february-2011/
CANADA-USA INTEGRATION ON TERRORISM
http://israndjer.blogspot.com/2011/02/north-american-union-revitalized.html

LAURIE ROTHS SITE
http://therothshow.com/
DOUG HAGMANNS SITES
http://homelandsecurityus.com/
https://hagmann-pi.com/Home.html
http://theneinblog.blogspot.com/
CANADA FREE PRESS-JUDI MCLEOD
http://www.canadafreepress.com/

THIS PATRIOT ACT PASSAGE WILL AFFECT US OVER HERE IN CANADA TO BECAUSE HARPER AND OBAMA SIGNED A SECRET DECREE THAT BRINGS OUR INTEGRATED ECONOMIES AND SURVELLENCE AND TERRORISM ACTS ALL TOGETHER.SO THIS MEANS CANADIANS CAN BE WATCHED BY ALL THE SURVELLENCE MOVES THAT THE U.S. USES IN THIS PATRIOT ACT.THEY CAN LISTEN IN ON US THREW OUR PHONES,COMPUTERS AND IF YOU GOT HD ON YOUR TV THEY CAN EVEN WATCH YOUR MOVES AND HEAR WHAT YOU SAY THROUGH YOUR TV,COMPUTER EVEN WHEN ITS TURNED OFF.SO YES THIS PASSAGE OF THE PATRIOT ACT IN AMERICA WILL AFFECT US OVER HERE IN CANADA.THE GOVERNMENTS CAN WATCH US WITH ANY WAY THEY WANT WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS.WE ARE DEFINATELY UNDER MARTIAL LAW LIKE AMERICA IS.

House passes Patriot Act rule, clears way for passage FEB 10,11 By Josiah Ryan THE HILL

The House passed a rule Thursday setting up a second vote to extend Patriot Act surveillance authorities until Dec. 8. The new rule clears the way for the legislation to be passed by just a simple majority, after the same bill failed to win a two-thirds majority under a suspension of House rules earlier in the week. In the suspension vote, more than two dozen Republicans bucked their leadership and joined Democrats to sink the extension.In floor debate preceding Thursday's vote on the rule, Democrats jabbed Republicans for dropping the first vote and protested the closed rule for the second vote, which prevents amendments.Rep. Sheila Jackson (D-Texas) said Republicans were practicing unique trickery by calling the bill back for a second vote.We have a right to have a voice and that voice has already been expressed, said Lee. What more needs to be said?

Some Democrats said they would have proposed an amendment that extended the law for only 60 days. But in many ways the floor discussion mirrored the debate earlier in the week.Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) called the Patriot Act a destructive undermining of constitutional principals and the rights of people to be secure in their homes.But Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) countered that if the law were unconstitutional, the courts would have struck it down by now. He also accused Kucinich of making up arguments.Some Democrats argued that Republicans should have held hearings on the Patriot Act before rushing through an extension. But Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) said Democrats did not require a hearing when they passed an extension last year, and pledging to push for committee hearings later this year. The House could take up the Patriot Act extension bill as early as Friday. The Senate is expected to take up the Patriot Act next week, but is looking at bills that would extend the three surveillance authorities for at least three years.

House clears way for PATRIOT Act extension
By David Edwards Friday, February 11th, 2011 -- 9:20 am

The US House of Representatives voted Thursday night to clear the road for an extension of controversial provisions in the USA PATRIOT Act.The final vote was 248 to 176, largely along party lines. Just 4 Republicans voted against the extension, while only 15 Democrats voted for it.Under the House bill, the act would be extended until Dec. 8. A vote was planned for Monday.Democrats protested a Republican plan to hold the vote under the closed rule, which prevented amendments. The last PATRIOT Act extension was passed in Feb. 2010.Thursday's House vote paved the way for a second ballot on the PATRIOT Act, allowing it to clear the chamber with a simple majority. An earlier vote failed when it did not obtain a two thirds majority.

The Wednesday vote was 23 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass it under a procedure that allows bills that aren't controversial to pass quickly.
When the act was first signed into law, Congress put in some sunset provisions to quiet the concerns of civil libertarians, but they were ignored by successive extensions. Unfortunately, those concerns proved to be well founded, and a 2008 Justice Department report confirmed that the FBI regularly abused their ability to obtain personal records of Americans without a warrant.The only real sign of strong opposition to the act was in 2005, when a Democratic threat to filibuster its first renewal was overcome by Senate Republicans.The Obama administration had called for the act to be extended for three years, two years longer than Republicans were seeking.As a US Senator and candidate for the presidency, Barack Obama never actually argued for a repeal of the Bush administration's security initiatives. Instead, he's consistently argued for enhanced judicial oversight and a pullback on the most extreme elements of the bill, such as the use of National Security Letters to search people's personal records without a court-issued warrant.A prior version of this article said the House had passed the PATRIOT Act extension.-- With earlier reporting by Daniel Tencer and Stephen C. Webster

IT WAS FEB 4,11 WHEN OBAMA,HARPER SIGNED THIS SECRET INTEGRATION OF OUR SERVELLENCE AND TERRORISM WATCHING ACTS.HERE IS THE REMARKS BY HARPER,OBAMA ON FEB 4,11

The White House-Office of the Press Secretary-For Immediate Release February 04, 2011Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada in Joint Press Availability South Court Auditorium 3:21 P.M. EST

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good afternoon, everyone. Please be seated.

I am very pleased to be welcoming my great friend and partner, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, back to the White House to reaffirm our extraordinary friendship and cooperation between the United States and Canada. I’d like to talk a bit about what we accomplished today, and then address the situation unfolding in Egypt.The United States and Canada are not simply allies, not simply neighbors; we are woven together like perhaps no other two countries in the world. We’re bound together by our societies, by our economies, by our families -- which reminds me my brother-in-law’s birthday is today and I have to call him. (Laughter.) And in our many meetings together I’ve come to value Stephen’s candor and his focus on getting results, both when it comes to our two countries and to meeting global challenges. Although I, unfortunately, have not yet had the pleasure of seeing him and his band jam to the Rolling Stones —- but I’m told the videos have become a sensation on YouTube. So I'll be checking those out after this bilateral. (Laughter.)

We’ve had a very successful day. Our focus has been on how we increase jobs and economic growth on both sides of the border. Canada is our largest trading partner and the top destination for American exports, supporting some 1.7 million jobs here. So today we’ve agreed to several important steps to increase trade, improve our competitiveness, and create jobs for both our people.First, we agreed to a new vision for managing our shared responsibilities —- not just at the border but beyond the border. That means working more closely to improve border security with better screening, new technologies and information-sharing among law enforcement, as well as identifying threats early. It also means finding new ways to improve the free flow of goods and people. Because with over a billion dollars in trade crossing the border every single day, smarter border management is key to our competitiveness, our job creation, and my goal of doubling U.S. exports.

And, Mr. Prime Minister, I thank you for your leadership and commitment to reaching this agreement.We’ve directed our teams to develop an action plan to move forward quickly. And I’m confident that we’re going to get this done so that our shared border enhances our shared prosperity.Second, we’re launching a new effort to get rid of outdated regulations that stifle trade and job creation. Like the government-wide review that I ordered last month, we need to obviously strike the right balance -— protecting our public health and safety, and making it easier and less expensive for American and Canadians to trade and do business, for example, in the auto industry. And a new council that we’re creating today will help make that happen.Third, we discussed a wide range of ways to promote trade and investment, from clean energy partnerships to the steps Canada can take to strengthen intellectual property rights.

And we discussed a range of common security challenges, including Afghanistan, where our forces serve and sacrifice together. Today, I want to thank Prime Minister Harper for Canada’s decision to shift its commitment to focus on training Afghan forces. As we agreed with our Lisbon -- or our NATO and coalition allies in Lisbon, the transition to Afghan lead for security will begin this year, and Canada’s contribution will be critical to achieving that mission and keeping both our countries safe.Finally, we discussed our shared commitment to progress with our partners in the Americas, including greater security cooperation. And I especially appreciated the Prime Minister’s perspective on the region as I prepare for my trip to Central and South America next month.Let me close by saying a few words about the situation in Egypt. This is obviously still a fluid situation and we’re monitoring it closely, so I'll make just a few points.First, we continue to be crystal-clear that we oppose violence as a response to this crisis. In recent days, we’ve seen violence and harassment erupt on the streets of Egypt that violates human rights, universal values and international norms. So we are sending a strong and unequivocal message: Attacks on reporters are unacceptable. Attacks on human rights activists are unacceptable. Attacks on peaceful protesters are unacceptable.The Egyptian government has a responsibility to protect the rights of its people. Those demonstrating also have a responsibility to do so peacefully. But everybody should recognize a simple truth: The issues at stake in Egypt will not be resolved through violence or suppression. And we are encouraged by the restraint that was shown today. We hope that it continues.

Second, the future of Egypt will be determined by its people. It’s also clear that there needs to be a transition process that begins now. That transition must initiate a process that respects the universal rights of the Egyptian people and that leads to free and fair elections.The details of this transition will be worked by Egyptians. And my understanding is that some discussions have begun. But we are consulting widely within Egypt and with the international community to communicate our strong belief that a successful and orderly transition must be meaningful. Negotiations should include a broad representation of the Egyptian opposition, and this transition must address the legitimate grievances of those who seek a better future.Third, we want to see this moment of turmoil turn into a moment of opportunity. The entire world is watching. What we hope for and what we will work for is a future where all of Egyptian society seizes that opportunity. Right now a great and ancient civilization is going through a time of tumult and transformation. And even as there are grave challenges and great uncertainty, I am confident that the Egyptian people can shape the future that they deserve. And as they do, they will continue to have a strong friend and partner in the United States of America.

Mr. Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER HARPER: Well, first of all, thank you, Barack. Both thank you for your friendship both personal and national. And thank you for all the work you’ve done and all of your people have done to bring us to our announcement today.
[Speaks in French.]And I will just repeat that.

Today, President Obama and I are issuing a declaration on our border, but it is, of course, much more than that. It is a declaration on our relationship. Over the past nearly 200 years, our two countries have progressively developed the closest, warmest, most integrated and most successful relationship in the world. We are partners, neighbors, allies, and, most of all, we are true friends.In an age of expanding opportunities but also of grave dangers, we share fundamental interests and values just as we face common challenges and threats.

At the core of this friendship is the largest bilateral trading relationship in history. And since the signing of the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement, a milestone in the development of the modern era of globalization, that partnership has grown spectacularly.Not only is the U.S. Canada’s major export market, Canada is also America’s largest export market -- larger than China, larger than Mexico, larger than Japan, larger than all the countries of the European Union combined. Eight million jobs in the United States are supported by your trade with Canada. And Canada is the largest, the most secure, the most stable, and the friendliest supplier of that most vital of all America’s purchases -- energy.It is in both our interests to ensure that our common border remains open and efficient, but it is just as critical that it remains secure and in the hands of the vigilant and the dedicated. Just as we must continually work to ensure that inertia and bureaucratic sclerosis do not impair the legitimate flow of people, goods and services across our border, so, too, we must up our game to counter those seeking new ways to harm us.

And I say us because as I have said before, a threat to the United States is a threat to Canada -- to our trade, to our interests, to our values, to our common civilization. Canada has no friends among America’s enemies, and America has no better friend than Canada.The declaration President Obama and I are issuing today commits our governments to find new ways to exclude terrorists and criminals who pose a threat to our peoples. It also commits us to finding ways to eliminate regulatory barriers to cross-border trade and travel, because simpler rules lead to lower costs for business and consumers, and ultimately to more jobs.Shared information, joint planning, compatible procedures and inspection technology will all be key tools. They make possible the effective risk management that will allow us to accelerate legitimate flows of people and goods between our countries while strengthening our physical security and economic competitiveness.So we commit to expanding our management of the border to the concept of a North American perimeter, not to replace or eliminate the border but, where possible, to streamline and decongest it.There is much work to do. The declaration marks the start of this endeavor, not the end; an ambitious agenda between two countries, sovereign and able to act independently when we so choose according to our own laws and aspirations, but always understanding this -- that while a border defines two peoples, it need not divide them. That is the fundamental truth to which Canadians and Americans have borne witness for almost two centuries. And through our mutual devotion to freedom, democracy and justice at home and abroad, it is the example we seek to demonstrate for all others.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: All right, we’ve got time for a couple of questions. I’m going to start with Alister Bull.

Q Thank you very much, Mr. President. Is it conceivable to you that a genuine process of democratic reform can begin in Egypt while President Mubarak remains in power, or do you think his stepping aside is needed for reform even to begin? And to Prime Minister Harper, on the energy issue, did you discuss Canada’s role as a secure source of oil for the United States, and in particular, did you receive any assurances the U.S. administration looks favorably on TransCanada’s proposed Keystone Pipeline to the Gulf Coast? Thank you.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: I have had two conversations with President Mubarak since this crisis in Egypt began, and each time I've emphasized the fact that the future of Egypt is going to be in the hands of Egyptians. It is not us who will determine that future. But I have also said that in light of what’s happened over the last two weeks, going back to the old ways is not going to work. Suppression is not going to work. Engaging in violence is not going to work. Attempting to shut down information flows is not going to work.In order for Egypt to have a bright future -- which I believe it can have -- the only thing that will work is moving a orderly transition process that begins right now, that engages all the parties, that leads to democratic practices, fair and free elections, a representative government that is responsive to the grievances of the Egyptian people.Now, I believe that President Mubarak cares about his country. He is proud, but he’s also a patriot. And what I've suggested to him is, is that he needs to consult with those who are around him in his government. He needs to listen to what’s being voiced by the Egyptian people and make a judgment about a pathway forward that is orderly, but that is meaningful and serious.And I believe that -- he’s already said that he’s not going to run for reelection. This is somebody who’s been in power for a very long time in Egypt. Having made that psychological break, that decision that he will not be running again, I think the most important for him to ask himself, for the Egyptian government to ask itself, as well as the opposition to ask itself, is how do we make that transition effective and lasting and legitimate.And as I said before, that's not a decision ultimately the United States makes or any country outside of Egypt makes. What we can do, though, is affirm the core principles that are going to be involved in that transition. If you end up having just gestures towards the opposition but it leads to a continuing suppression of the opposition, that's not going to work. If you have the pretense of reform but not real reform, that's not going to be effective.And as I said before, once the President himself announced that he was not going to be running again, and since his term is up relatively shortly, the key question he should be asking himself is, how do I leave a legacy behind in which Egypt is able to get through this transformative period. And my hope is, is that he will end up making the right decision.

PRIME MINISTER HARPER: You asked me about the question of energy, and, yes, we did discuss the matter you raised. And let me just say this in that context. I think it is clear to anyone who understands this issue that the need of the United States for fossil fuels far in excess of its ability to produce such energy will be the reality for some time to come. And the choice that the United States faces in all of these matters is whether to increase its capacity, to accept such energy from the most secure, most stable and friendliest location it can possibly get that energy, which is Canada, or from other places that are not as secure, stable or friendly to the interests and values of the United States.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: I think we’ve got a Canadian reporter.

Q Prime Minister, can you answer this in English and French? Canadians will be asking how much of our sovereignty and our privacy rights will be given up to have more open borders and an integrated economy. And while I have you on your feet, I want to ask you about Egypt, as well, whether you feel that Mr. Mubarak should be stepping down sooner, it would help the transition? And, Mr. President, on the sovereignty issue, you're welcome to answer it -- you don't have to speak in French, though. (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you. (Laughter.) Now, I love French, but I'm just not very capable of speaking it. (Laughter.)

PRIME MINISTER HARPER: On the question of sovereignty, this declaration is not about sovereignty. We are sovereign countries who have the capacity to act as we choose to act. The question that faces us is to make sure we act in a sovereign way that serves Canada’s interests. It is in Canada’s interests to work with our partners in the United States to ensure that our borders are secure, and ensure that we can trade and travel across them as safely and as openly as possible within the context of our different laws.And that is what we're trying to achieve here. We share security threats that are very similar on both sides of the border. We share an integrated economic space where it doesn’t make sense to constantly check the same cargo over and over again -- if we can do that at a perimeter, if we can decongest the border, that's what we should be doing. If we can -- if we can harmonize regulations in ways that avoid unnecessary duplication and red tape for business -- these are things that we need to do.So that's what this is all about. This is about the safety of Canadians and it is about creating jobs and economic growth for the Canadian economy.Let me maybe -- I'll do French and then I'll come to Egypt.(Speaks in French.)On the question of Egypt, let me just agree fully with what President Obama has said. I don't think there is any doubt from anyone who is watching the situation that transition is occurring and will occur in Egypt. The question is what kind of transition this will be and how it will lead. It is ultimately up to the Egyptian people to decide who will govern them.What we want to be sure is that we lead towards a future that is not simply more democratic, but a future where that democracy is guided by such values as non-violence, as the rule of law, as respect and respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities, including the rights of religious minorities.(Speaks in French.)

PRESIDENT OBAMA: With respect to security issues and sovereignty issues, obviously, Canada and the United States are not going to match up perfectly on every measure with respect to how we balance security issues, privacy issues, openness issues. But we match up more than probably any country on Earth.We have this border that benefits when it is open. The free flow of goods and services results in huge economic benefits for both sides. And so the goal here is to make sure that we are coordinating closely and that as we are taking steps and measures to ensure both openness and security, that we’re doing so in ways that enhances the relationship as opposed to creates tensions in the relationship. And we are confident that we’re going to be able to achieve that.We’ve already made great progress just over the last several years on various specific issues. What we’re trying to do now is to look at this in a more comprehensive fashion, so that it’s not just border security issues, but it’s a broader set of issues involved. And I have great confidence that Prime Minister Harper is going to be very protective of certain core values of Canada, just as I would be very protective of the core values of the United States, and those won’t always match up perfectly.And I thought -- I agree even more with his answer in French. (Laughter.)All right. Thank you very much, everybody.
END3:49 P.M. EST