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Bradley in DC
03-03-2009, 12:02 AM
Liberty Coaliton newsletter February 2009

News from Liberty Coalition
Comment to the EPA on"nano-silver" ban

From Natural Solutions Foundation:

Deadline for Public Comments: Extended to March 20, 2009 (was January 20, 2009)
Extended Comment Period Revised Docket No. EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0650-0506

The EPA - Environmental Protection Agency - has received a "citizens petition" asking the agency to regulate topical nano silver products as "pesticides." While this would directly apply to topical silver and not to silver as a dietary supplement, Natural Solutions Foundation is very concerned that this is another step toward banning the use of silver in health related areas.

http://www.libertycoalition.net/comment-epa-onnano-silver-ban

U.S. to yield marijuana jurisdiction to states

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is sendin g strong signals that President Obama - who as a candidate said states should be allowed to make their own rules on medical marijuana - will end raids on pot dispensaries in California. Asked at a Washington news conference Wednesday about Drug Enforcement Administration raids in California since Obama took office last month, Holder said the administration has changed its policy.
"What the president said during the campaign, you'll be surprised to know, will be consistent with what we'll be doing here in law enforcement," he said. "What he said during the campaign is now American policy."

Bill Piper, national affairs director of the Drug Policy Alliance, a marijuana advocacy group, said the statement is encouraging.

http://www.libertycoalition.net/us-yield-marijuana-jurisdiction-states

Bill proposes ISPs, Wi-Fi ke ep logs for police


Republican politicians on Thursday called for a sweeping new federal law that would require all Internet providers and operators of millions of Wi-Fi access points, even hotels, local coffee shops, and home users, to keep records about users for two years to aid police investigations.

The legislation, which echoes a measure proposed by one of their Democratic colleagues three years ago, would impose unprecedented data retention requirements on a broad swath of Internet access providers and is certain to draw fire from businesses and privacy advocates.



http://www.libertycoalition.net/sta te-secrets-legislation-introduced-heels-sensiti
NSA offering 'billions' for Skype eavesdrop solution

News of a possible viable business model for P2P VoIP network Skype emerged today, at the Counter Terror Expo in London. An industry source disclosed that America's supersecret National Security Agency (NSA) is offering "billions" to any firm which can offer reliable eavesdropping on Skype IM and voice traffic.
http://www.libertycoalition.net/nsa-offering-billions-skype-eavesdrop-solution
AAPS: "Stimulus" contains provisions to ration medical care
http://www.libertycoalition.net/aaps-stimulus-contains-provisions-ration-medical-c< span class="field-content">
Economic Stimulus Bill Mandates Electronic Health Records for Every Citizen without Opt-out or Patient Consent Provisions
http://www.libertycoalition.net/economic-stimulus-bill-mandates-electronic-health-

Whistleblower Protections in Stimulus Bill: Joint Statement from a Coalition of Public Interest Groups
http://www.libertycoalition.net/post-editorial-misses-mark-whistleblowers-protecti
http://www.libertycoalition.net/bill-proposes-isps-wi-fi-keep-logs-police

State S ecrets Legislation Introduced on the Heels of Sensitive Court Decision

During the week of Feb. 9, the Obama administration invoked the state secrets privilege in a sensitive legal case. The decision has led some groups to question if President Barack Obama is breaking from the Bush administration's interrogation and intelligence policies as promised, or if he intends to continue existing practices. Meanwhile, both houses of Congress are considering legislation (H.R. 984 and S. 417) to narrow the interpretation of the largely undefined privilege created by case law.