sunset

[Towse]

The phrase "will sunset" for "will expire" relates to sunset clauses
(a provision that goes back centuries) wherein a law is enacted with
the provision/clause that it will explicitly expire (i.e. sunset)
after a certain length of time unless it's renewed.

In point of fact, there =are= sections of the Patriot Act with sunset
clauses that will expire later this year unless those provisions are
renewed. (They've already been renewed in 2005 and again in 2006).

According to Wikipedia (which is not the end all and be all of
knowledge), the following sections of the Patriot Act will sunset in
2010 unless they are renewed:

    * §201 Wiretapping for terrorism cases
    * §202 Wiretapping for computer fraud and abuse
    * §203(b) and (d) Sharing of wiretap and foreign intelligence information
    * §§204, 206, 207, 214, 215, 218, and 225 Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act related sections including roving wiretaps
    * §209 Warranted seizure of voicemail messages
    * §217 Computer trespasser communications
    * §220 Nationwide service or warrants for electronic evidence
    * §223 Privacy violation civil liability


On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 5:55 PM, Herb Stahlke <hfwstahlke at gmail.com> wrote:
> The congressman's talent for prefabricated hen house language aside, I
> got 41k raw googits for "will sunset," putting the search string in
> quotes.  After scanning the first ten pages I would guess that maybe
> 30-40 percent were transitive or intransitive verbs meaning "terminat,
> expire."
>
> Herb
>
> On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 3:31 PM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject:      sunset
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> A California Congressman on CNN warns that without legislative attention
>> important provisions of the Patriot Act will "sunset" later this year.  That
>> means expire.
>>
>> He also observed sagely that "There usually is no smoking gun. That's
>> why you have to connect the dots."
>>
>> JL
>>
>> --
>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

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