Is the Tea Party revolting? Sometimes. Their extremism will challenge the stability of most stomachs from time to time, but today, we owe several of them a debt of gratitude. Some of them put their principles ahead of party and voted not to extend the unPATRIOT Act. I’ve taken names.
The Republican-led House on Tuesday failed to pass a short-term extension of the USA Patriot Act favored by GOP leaders, an unexpected political setback that shows the difficulty the party faces in keeping control of their new majority, with its legion of tea party-inspired members.
Key provisions of the terrorist surveillance law expire at the end of the month, and a coalition of veteran Republican lawmakers and conservative new members blocked passage of a measure that many tea party activists see as federal government over-reach into private affairs.
The unexpected turn of events will require the White House, which is seeking to extend the Sept. 11-era bill through 2013, to work with congressional leaders to devise a new strategy for passage.
"I am disappointed in the outcome of tonight’s vote," said Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), the author of the original act. "We are now under a time crunch."
The House voted 277-148 under a process that required a two-thirds vote, ending up seven votes short. Twenty-six Republicans voted against the bill. Democrats were divided, with 67 voting in favor and 122 against.
GOP leaders chose the ill-fated process to avoid amendments that could have ended up restructuring the measure.
The measure would have renewed three key provisions of the Patriot Act. Civil libertarians have long opposed the provisions as unwarranted federal surveillance power, a view shared by top congressional Democrats.
Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called the act Tuesday "one of the worst laws this body has ever passed."… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <LA Times>
Here are the Representatives from both parties who voted against renewal. The Democrats are italicized.
Amash
Andrews
Baldwin
Bartlett
Bass (CA)
Becerra
Berman
Bishop (UT)
Blumenauer
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Broun (GA)
Brown (FL)
Campbell
Capps
Capuano
Carson (IN)
Chu
Cicilline
Clarke (MI)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Conyers
Costello
Crowley
Cummings
Davis (IL)
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
Deutch
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle
Duncan (TN)
Edwards
Ellison
Engel
Eshoo
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Fitzpatrick
Frank (MA)
Fudge
Garamendi
Gibson
Gonzalez
Graves (GA)
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Hanabusa
Heller
Himes
Hinchey
Hirono
Holt
Honda
Hultgren
Jackson (IL)
Jackson Lee (TX)
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones
Kaptur
Kildee
Kingston
Kucinich
Labrador
Larson (CT)
Lee (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Luján
Mack
Maloney
Marchant
Markey
Matsui
McClintock
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
Meeks
Michaud
Miller, George
Moore
Moran
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Olver
Owens
Pallone
Pastor (AZ)
Paul
Payne
Pelosi
Pingree (ME)
Polis
Price (NC)
Rangel
Rehberg
Richardson
Richmond
Roe (TN)
Rohrabacher
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sánchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schilling
Schrader
Schweikert
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sherman
Slaughter
Stark
Sutton
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Tonko
Towns
Velázquez
Visclosky
Walz (MN)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Woodall
Woolsey
Wu
Young (AK)
I think we owe each of them a thank you, including the Republicans. If one of these Reps is yours, why not give them a call?
Finally, I am ashamed of Barack Obama, because he supported this monstrosity. The unPATRIOT Act is Bush’s violation of our Constitutional rights, not change I can believe in.
17 Responses to “unPatriot Fails! Is the Tea Party Revolting?”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
It was a dumb law then… it’s a dumb law now…..
I’d use the word devious instead. 🙂
Not saying it’s right, but Obama supports it for 2 reasons;
1. Bush created it, had it, used it, etc, so why shouldn’t a Democratic President have the same power?
2. Once a POTUS gets a POWER, THEY LIKE it, and they DON’T WANT TO LET IT GO. 🙄
1. God forbid that another Republican should have the power again.
2. I agree, but I consider this a betrayal, because Obama campaigned specifically on ending the Republican assault on our privacy and civil liberties.
I’m thrilled but angrier at my Democratic Rep – Jim Cooper – more than I am at Obama. I’m not privy to what info/advice he receives, although I think he was going down the wrong path with this.
Perhaps instead of a “thanks” you might call to tell his office that he is wrong.
It’s encouraging that a few teabaggers actually mean it when they talk about “Freedom” and “limited government.” Usually it’s just a code word for letting Wall Street and the HMOs do exactly what they want when they want, but I’m glad a few of them actually mean what they say.
Sadly, I doubt that they will stay that way over most issues.
Unfortunately, this victory will be short-lived. The vote was brought up under suspension rules which requires a two-thirds majority, as well as blocks adding any amendments and limits debate. It’ll be voted on later where only a simple majority is needed. But at least under those rules it’ll be open for amendments and debate.
The good news is that it clearly demonstrates the total incompetence of the Teapublican “leadership” in running the House.
Nameless, I agree, but if it’s going to be passed again, I want it highly publicized amidst intense debate. I want passing it to be politically expensive for all who support it, including Obama.
Jane Harman cracked me the hell up on this vote. The stupid twit thought it passed as if it were a simple majority vote. Another Blue dog bites the dust. I so love seeing Republicans eating their own.
This patriot bill was bullshit from the start. Americas motto then was be afraid be very afraid. Take my rights please…(snare drum) padada I’ll be here all week…tip your waitress…
Good riddance to that one!
From what I understand, this was supposed to be a pro forma vote. I think it took the Boehner by surprise. The tea party faction is so ideologically driven that it often trumps party allegiance. Should be interesting going forward.
It was, Gabrielle. Nobody expected 24 Republicans to defect, myself included.
Long time no see! 🙂
This unconstitutional monstrosity of a law should have never passed in the first place. Unfortunately, laws like this are passed when vindictive and paranoid conservatives control the government, which is to say they should never do so again!
Wow – that’s a lot of Repubs defecting. 😛
Only the non italicized names were Republican.