Is it still possible to oppose the Patriot Act Extension?

Senator Rand Paul spoke last night on the Senate floor and introduced the Leahy-Paul Amendment [pdf warning] that would force the expiration of the National Security Letters on December 31, 2013. Senator Paul also introduced eight amendments and attempted to filibuster the vote.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmjhk2-ynLo[/youtube]

Transcript.

Unfortunately, after seven hours of filibustering, Senator Paul was thwarted as Senator Harry Reid moved the extensions to the House in the Small Business bill. This bill is considered filibuster-proof.

Essentially, Senator Reid killed his bill and then amended the entire text of the Patriot Act extension onto this new bill.

there are some steps that must still take place; it will be likely Thursday before a cloture vote can occur. It’s unclear whether Reid can get to final passage in time, but these things have a way of working themselves out.

Even with the extension, it seems very likely the Patriot Act will expire for a very brief period of time. The House must take it up and pass it – and President Obama isn’t even back until Saturday.

“Sen. Reid went through procedural hoops to go back on his word,” Paul said in a statement, adding that Reid “denied the Senate the opportunity to debate the constitutionality of its provisions.”

“Today’s events further underscore the U.S. government’s lack of transparency and accountability to the American people,” Paul said.

This is what’s wrong with politics. There are many names one could call Senator Reid at this moment, despicable is probably the nicest. The citizens of America do not want the Patriot Act renewed, yet the politicians never seem to get the message as it will, somehow, leave their pockets empty and out of a job at the next election if they do so.