The FBI looks to expand its investigative power
With the FCC, ICE, DHS, and the EPA already expanding their powers beyond the original intent of these agencies it seems only natural that the FBI would also want to get into the fun, and now they are.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is giving significant new powers to its roughly 14,000 agents — allowing them more leeway to search databases, go through household trash or use surveillance teams to scrutinize the lives of people who have attracted their attention.
The FBI soon plans to issue a new edition of its manual, called the Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide, according to an official who has worked on the draft document and several others who have been briefed on its contents. The new rules add to several measures taken over the past decade to give agents more latitude as they search for signs of criminal or terrorist activity.
This is what Michael German, a former FBI agent who now works for the ACLU, had to say about this story:
Claiming additional authorities to investigate people only further raises the potential for abuse
It is not often that I agree with the ACLU, but this is one such case. What is most frightening to me about this story is how the FBI is going to get away with this.
She also said the bureau — which does not need permission to alter its manual so long as the rules fit within broad guidelines issued by the attorney general — had carefully weighed the risks and the benefits of each change.
The FBI is justifying this by claiming it is simply changing its manual, and this fits within broad outlines issued by Eric Holder, therefore it is legal for the FBI to expand its “investigative techniques.” And the FBI does not need “firm evidence for suspecting criminal or terrorist activity” to begin this new intrusive policy; the fourth amendment be damned.
But it is not at the feet of Eric Holder alone that blame can be placed for this usurpation of our rights; in December of 2008–when Bush was still the president, and under his watch–the FBI was allowed to create a new investigative category called “assessment” and it is this category which is being used to create these new guidelines.
I have read that the natural progression of democracy is toward tyranny as our leaders–in the effort to appear as if they are doing something–pass more and more laws which inevitably infringe on our rights, and judging by what I see going on in Washington I have to agree.
America had better wake up soon or there will be no America to wake up to.
America's Watchtower 
And they called Bush a monster for wanting the Patriot Act. Obama has exceeded anything Bush ever did.
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Amd it is only going to keep getting worse if we do not do something about it.
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That’s what I’m wondering. How much more can we sit back and allow to happen? At some point, this government must be stopped.
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I think the government has gone way too far already and I think more snd more people are realizing this–I jus hope it isn’t too late.
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Years ago, there was a Southern Gospel song entitled, “Getting Used To The Dark”. It told the story of how Christians were letting their faith go, little by little. I think the same applies to Americans. Little by little, our liberties and rights are being eroded and a lot of us seem to be unaware that anything is going on. It’s time we started paying attention.
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It has been happening a little at a time, and if we do not stop it soon we will look back after it is too late and wonder hos we let it happen.
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Just the thought of Eric Holder with any kind of power keeps me up at night. I got to see a few minutes of him answering questions about Project Gunrunner and the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Everyone involved in this should be prosecuted. That includes Holder and Obama. I hope this investigation gets some more traction.
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I hope that story gets traction as well because heads have got to roll!
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Yet another inroad of tyranny on the part of the Obama administration!
The ACLU is rarely correct. This is the exception to their typical crap.
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Every once in awhile the ACLU gets one right and this is one of those occasions.
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So much for freedom from unreasonable search and seizure.
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Exactly!
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Wow- any end to the limit of their intrustion?
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It doesn’t seem as if there is a limit to the rights these people are willing to walk over.
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When is enough enough? When does America stand and say NO?
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It had better be soon or it will be too late!
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As much as I hate to agree with the ACLU, Steve is right here.
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They may not get many right, but they got this one right.
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I concur with most of you all. The ACLU got one right. We U.S. Citizens are the proverbial Frog in the pot of water. The heat has been turned up on U.S. to cook us a little at a time so as not to notice. Some of U.S. are noticing now…it is not too late, but we must take a stand now!
Do something [without violence] to push Progressivism back and that NUMBER 1 THING IS, EDUCATION ! Educate a friend, neighbor, family member who is still being cooked on what is happening to our Freedom and Liberty. Then have those do the same…and so on…and so on…
There are Legislative skirmishes that need to be squashed at the local, state and federal levels NOW, familiarize yourselves with them. If it takes a bit of Freedom away…PUSH IT BACK! A good resource now is POPVOX |www.popvox.com| use it daily, make it a habit.
Obviously the grand-daddy is the 2012 Election. Same thing applies. If there is a hint of evidence against Freedom…Vote them out…or don’t Vote them in!
We have been pushed long enough, take back America. PUSH BACK!
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We (FBI) just want a little bit more of your freedom. You” hardly notice a thing.
then multiply that by 2000 different agencies that want just a little bit of your freedom and we soon become slaves of the state.
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