Walsh doesn’t mind this intrusion

Congressman Walsh campaigned on a platform of “Taking our Country Back” and the notion that government is too intrusive in our lives and there is too much government. I suspect Walsh mobilized just enough people who subscribed to such a message to deliver him a congressional seat.

So what does Congressman Walsh do to repay them for delivering him a victory? He votes to extend the three intrusive government surveillance tools used in the Patriot Act to get in our lives.

The sections of the Act that were up for renewal would have renewed the authority for roving wiretaps that permit surveillance on multiple phones. Also addressed was Section 215, the so-called library records provision that gives the FBI access to “any tangible thing” relevant to a terrorism investigation.

The third deals with the “lone-wolf” provision of a 2004 anti-terror law that permits secret intelligence surveillance on non-U.S. people NOT known to be affiliated with a specific terrorist organization — all without due process!

Thankfully there were enough elected people to defeat the extension and the bill failed. But, Congressman Walsh, exactly what part of government do you want out of our lives?

This was a big one and you fell down on your campaign promise.

Lonnie Werth

Round Lake