Seems while everyone was caught up in the political theater that was the Health Care Summit between Congressional Democrats and Republicans, and moderated by President Obama, something else happened you might not have noticed. At one point, members of the summit broke to cast a vote to extend several major provisions of the Patriot Act. A friend texted me the news that night, but if you missed it, don't feel bad- so did the New York Times and virtually every major newspaper and news program in the country.
Our former President was berated by Democrats on Capitol Hill and the mainstream media for the Patriot Act, but nary a peep from the press this time around. Other than a few mentions of it in the blogosphere and predictable protestations from the ACLU (http://www.aclu.org/national-security/congress-reauthorizes-overbroad-patriot-act-provisions) - nada.
In fact, no mention from February 25th to three hours ago by any major newspaper that I could find online. Then, Washington Examiner columnist David Freddoso just published this piece on his blog with the paper pointing out that no one was reporting it:
If Obama reauthorizes the PATRIOT Act, and the New York Times doesn't cover it, does it make a sound?
By: David Freddoso
Online Opinion Editor
03/09/10 5:55 PM EST
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| Perhaps it was unfit to print. (Lnnihan / AP) |
Like homelessness, threats to civil liberties suddenly disappear when Democrats inhabit the White House. Mark Hemingway noticed when the Congress quietly passed the reauthorization, and now Kevin Mooney at TimesCheck marks its signing by President Obama. Not that anyone else noticed:
President Obama has signed off on a one year extension of The Patriot Act that won overwhelming congressional approval just over a week ago; not that anyone reading The New York Times would know.
Throughout the Bush years, The Times editorialized vociferously against key provisions of the counter-terrorism law and gave wide latitude to critics from the American Civil Liberties Union and other left-leaning institutions.
A Nexis search shows that in both the 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns The Times repeatedly called out the Bush Administration for using The Patriot Act as a tool to violate constitutional provisos.
Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/If-Obama-reauthorizes-the-PATRIOT-Act-and-the-New-York-Times-doesnt-cover-it-does-it-make-a-sound-87162077.html#ixzz0hjx3bZb1
