"The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-56), commonly known as the USA PATRIOT Act or simply the Patriot Act, is an American law which was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001. The Act passed in the Senate by a vote of 98 to 1, and in the House by a vote of 357 to 66. It . Although the bill enjoyed widespread Congressional and Presidential support, some people consider it a controversial piece of federal legislation."
2006-08-15 05:50:21 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
add who was the dipshit that didn't vote in the senate? probably commie kerry. hehe.
2006-08-15 05:52:39 · update #1
no one wanted to be left out........would hurt ther chances for re-election. go with the flow then bi*tch about it afterwards. that's how the govt works.
2006-08-15 05:56:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes. In the days after 9/11 a lot of people thought there was a serious problem, and over-reacted.
But also read the actual legislative history. What came out of committee was not what was voted upon. The bills sponsors (Republicans) made hundreds of edits in the morning before the actual vote, changes that were not ever debated on the floor. The paper was still warm from the photocopier when the votes were tallied, and those voting for it were not given time to read and discuss the changes before being forced to vote.
So, what a lot of Congressfolk actually voted on was not what they thought they were voting on. And most of those who oppose it didn't vote for it to be renewed this past year.
It's not flip-flopping when you make different decisions based on different factual situations.
2006-08-15 14:22:07 · answer #2 · answered by coragryph 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of our legislators, Republican and Democrat, didn't read the Patriot Act before they enacted it into law. The bill was rushed out after 911, and everyone was scared and listened to their President, who said that it would make us safer. Unfortunatley for America, there are a lot of things in the Patriot Act that infringe upon our rights. I think that, had it it not been rushed, and people had time to scrutinize it, there would have been some changes to it.
2006-08-15 12:59:10 · answer #3 · answered by rob 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That is Amerikas way of keeping the general public off balance. This way each political group such as the democrats mimic other political groups such as the republicans and thus you have cohesion by wavering and a skewed political perception by the public keeping you the watcher at bay. Thus crime such as the patriot act can become a wavering issue between the groups so it passes by with time with no justice or firm outcome being sought by the general public.
2006-08-15 13:01:20 · answer #4 · answered by Mark B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When it was passed a lot of people's judgment was clouded by what just happened. As time has passed, people have had the time to think it through and some have realized that it was a hasty decision that may have been incorrectly decided.
Remember, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, everyone was rallying around the president and trusting his judgment. In retrospect, trusting his judgment may have not been the right thing to do.
2006-08-15 12:57:37 · answer #5 · answered by Jiggy J 1 · 4⤊ 1⤋
i complain about the patriot act because i actually read it. do you know how many people in the house and senate combined actually read it? about 20 or 25. the basis of the P.A. is destroying constitutional rights of americans and people in america. privacy in your own home is a right and NO ONE can take that away.
2006-08-15 13:07:55 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Republicans take the offensive to terroism and try to prevent it.
Democrats take the defensive and just try to limit it.
You make some good points in your question. Liberals suffer from "I don't remember that syndrome.
Good link below too.
http://www.gopbloggers.org/mt/archives/003435.html
2006-08-15 12:59:30 · answer #7 · answered by John 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ask Joe Lieberman.
2006-08-15 12:55:14 · answer #8 · answered by Pseudo Obscure 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
why do republicans think it is a sin to reconsider old opinions? if i still believed in santa claus you would think i was a fruitcake... similarly, i believe that the patriot act was born out of panic and ignorance and we should reassess its usefulness.
2006-08-15 12:58:12 · answer #9 · answered by uncle osbert 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They complain about everything, haven't you noticed?
2006-08-15 12:55:42 · answer #10 · answered by El Pistolero Negra 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋