US Senate quietly penciling in new government authority to

At least if Senator Patrick Leahy gets his way.

Here's the set of amendments the Senator is set to introduce to a bill that was widely touted as improving our rights to cyber-privacy:

✭ Grants warrantless access to Americans' electronic correspondence to over 22 federal agencies. Only a subpoena is required, not a search warrant signed by a judge based on probable cause.✭ Permits state and local law enforcement to warrantlessly access Americans' correspondence stored on systems not offered "to the public," including university networks.✭ Authorizes any law enforcement agency to access accounts without a warrant -- or subsequent court review -- if they claim "emergency" situations exist.✭ Says providers "shall notify" law enforcement in advance of any plans to tell their customers that they've been the target of a warrant, order, or subpoena.✭ Delays notification of customers whose accounts have been accessed from 3 days to "10 business days." This notification can be postponed by up to 360 days.

By the way, the current text of the bill defines the agencies that will acquire the power to access your emails, your Facebook accounts, your Twitter account, your documents stored with any online back-up provider:

. . . any executive department, military department, Government corporation, Government controlled corporation, or other establishment in the executive branch of the Government (including the Executive Office of the President), or any independent regulatory agency...

Who's included?  Here's a partial list:

Federal ReserveFederal Trade CommissionFederal Maritime CommissionPostal Regulatory CommissionNational Labor Relations BoardMine Enforcement Safety and Health Review CommissionOSHASecurities and Exchange CommissionGeneral Accounting OfficeUS Department of EducationSocial Security AdministrationFederal Communications Commission. . . and the list goes on and on and on like the Energizer Bunny . . .

This is WAY beyond any arguments about national security, folks.

What does the Postal Regulatory Commission or the US Department of Education have to do with protecting me from . . . anyone.

The slippery slope has gone from national security to the ease with which government prosecutions can be carried on for non-security related issues.

Wonderful.

But, of course, our own Congressional delegation, as well as our own local supporters of President Obama's anti-civil liberties agenda, will roll right over on this one, too.