Rand Paul gun records held up Patriot Act renewal...why?

  • Firearm Records Amendment: Clarifies that the authority to obtain info under the USA PATRIOT Act does not include authority to obtain certain firearm records. Supported by Gun Owners of America.


Senator Rand Paul, (R) KY (Amendment to the Patriot Act renewal vote...)

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  This was the amendment Rand Paul was holding up the renewal of the Patriot Act up over? Because the Government "theoretically" could demand every gun purchase form ever recorded and thus know who all the evil gun owners are? And then what, go get them? Kill them, maybe?

 On the surface, the Patriot Act, among various other powers, wants the ability to track gun purchases from possible terrorists. Paul felt it was too broad a power and could subject law abiding private citizens who own guns to a violation of their privacy. Funny, the sweeping powers of the Patriot Act when passed under the previous administration were explained as basic techniques to fight terrorism. Now, we're going to play around with this so we can score cheap political points with the gun lobby?

  Seriously?

  Even Mitch McConnell disagreed with Paul on this one. If we're really going to stop necessary legislation every time some bizarre/extreme interpretation of it might lead to some wrong being done somewhere, then I doubt we're ever going to get much done. The aim of this part of the PA is to have the means to be able to research purchase records as part of an overall investigation into terrorist activity. While some critics, of both parties have expressed concerns over the Act going too far in terms of violating civil liberties, Senate GOP leader McConnell said, "have kept us safe for nearly a decade and Americans today should be relieved and reassured to know that these programs will continue." 


 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid finally gave into Paul's demand for a vote on the gun records business and it was soundly defeated by a bi-partisan landslide 85-10. The Patriot Act was approved by a generous margin, 72-23 in the Senate and will now go to President Obama for his signature to sign it into law. 


  Perhaps the next time Sen. Paul wants to gain some attention, he can find some stronger issue to dig his heels in with. He single-handedly held up the Senate vote for seven days because of this issue. The main gun lobby organisation in the United States, the NRA decided this wasn't worth their time and declined to even offer an opinion on it, which is stunning to me. I give them credit for sitting this one out. 


  I don't love every single bit of the Patriot Act, but I can live with it. 


  Sources: 


http://dailylibertarian.com/2011/05/23/rand-paul-proposes-amendments-to-the-patriot-act/


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/26/rand-paul-guns-patriot-act_n_867458.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/26/congress-passes-patriot-act-extension_n_867814.html