Comment by px43
2 years ago
Hey other states, can you elect a few more Ron Wydens? He's been doing a ton of the heavy lifting lately. Every time we hear about the intelligence community egregiously violating civil liberties, it's always Wyden.
2 years ago
Hey other states, can you elect a few more Ron Wydens? He's been doing a ton of the heavy lifting lately. Every time we hear about the intelligence community egregiously violating civil liberties, it's always Wyden.
I'm an Oregonian and my biggest complaint about Ron Wyden is that he's usually ahead of me on technical issues. There are worse problems to have...
I believe he sits on intelligence committees and has a security clearance so he gets briefed on all kinds of outrageous things he can’t publicly talk about. But he does his best with what he can.
Probably thanks to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Soghoian.
Yeah he's awesome. /s
In May 2017, Wyden co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, Senate Bill 720, which made it a federal crime, punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment,[88] for Americans to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories if protesting actions by the Israeli government. The bill would make it legal for U.S. states to refuse to do business with contractors that engage in boycotts against Israel.[89] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Wyden#Israel
That sounds like an attempt to ban political expression that is certainly protected by the First Amendment.
Wyden knows such a bill wouldn't pass specifically because of its unconstitutionality. This was about picking up media coverage by throwing red meat at voters.
Congress has been in a state of deadlock for too long to pass any actual laws, so this type of performative theater ahead of midterm elections is what passes for statesmanship.
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It’s already pretty much the law. You can submit your complaints to the Office of Anti-Boycott Compliance [1].
Foreign governments can’t force government contractors to comply with boycotts. This bill AFAIK simply closes the loophole of Palestine not technically being a foreign government.
[1]: https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/enforcement/oac
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Well established ban, since you cannot discriminate anymore or voluntarily associate anymore as a business
Well it's pretty unlikely such a law would stand up in any court even small claim's court
Uh it's already the law in dozens of states. The Arkansas law was challenged, but upheld by the appeals court and SCOTUS refused to hear the case.
I'd rather not test this theory, just like I'd rather not test the constitutionality of a law that makes accessing TikTok a felony.
... Also, as sibling commenters pointed out, anti-BDS gag laws are everywhere in this country, and have yet to be struck down.
Pobody's Nerfect
This is a far cry from an "oopsie"
I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic. How is that acceptable and democratic?
It already in exists in the form of Anti-BDS laws. 35 states already have them
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I am being sarcastic ;) the guy is supposed to be a freedom fighter for privacy/security but is trying to ban boycotts, the most basic form of protest, and integral to US democracy.
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If you require all your allies to be perfect people...
... you won't be left with many allies.
You can literally use this to excuse any behavior
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I mean wanting to put people in jail for using their first amendment rights is kind of big deal.
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