Question about the Patriot Act ?

Question

I don't see how the patriot act could be considered bad by anyone . Now is your chance to convince me .

Give one good example of a law abiding citizen that has nothing to hide that would be screwed over by the patriot act

try not to use the word constitution or privacy and give a realistic example

a liberal can't think of one good example , ruby almost had one if financial institutions didn't already do that

a couple of creative rants based on principle but still no realistic example

Answer 1

You ask the impossible.

Answer 2

The problem with the Patriot Act is that while it does provide a clause allowing judicial oversight, Title IV Section 412 includes provisions for judicial review in detentions, and Title II deals with warrant requirements for electronic surveillance, it does not make this oversight mandatory.

This means that these provisions are allowed to go unenforced. You see, the Executive Branch is in charge of this enforcement. So what we are seeing now and basically have a wide-open window to is when the laws get in the way of what Bush wants to accomplish, he just chooses not to enforce them.

Also, the 4th, 5th and 6th Amendments are limitations on government action, and apply to anyone under US authority or control. Nowhere does it mention 'citizen'.

As far as warrantless wiretapping, 50 U.S.C. §1801 et al. Warrantless wiretapping is illegal under FISA if any US citizen or resident alien is a party to the conversation. Also 18 U.S.C. § 2511: Compliance with FISA "shall be the exclusive means by which electronic surveillance... may be conducted". The Patriot Act runs head to head into legalities here.

Answer 3

How about an example
You're an american citizen and a business owner. You pay taxes, go to church and you have many friends in the community. Your Brother's friend comes over from Overseas and you help him out by letting him stay in your home. He's a bit odd and kind of a religious nut and he reminds you of why you came to America but you're very tollerant because you want him to see the America you know and love and become a citizen like you. The problem is your Iranian and your Brother's friend is a Muslim fundamentalist who's helping terrorists. He disappears and Homeland Security follows his phone records to you. You have nothing to hide so you tell them he came, he stayed and left. You don't know who he was with in America or what he was doing. You have no legal protection from Homeland Security in their attempt to collect information from you. They can take you from your home without warrent or probable cause, they can imprison you indefinately, they can torture you. If they find proof that you are just a model American you have to recompense. And this could theoretically happen to you with much less incriminating circumstances if Homeland Security took a dislike to you.

Now..

None of that even matters. Part of being American is being free. protect yourself from opression, free to voice your opinions in public, free from tyranny. The existance of a brance of Government with no oversight or restriction means that none of those freedoms mean anything. At-Will Homeland security can make you an enemy of the state and take everything from you reguardless of the laws you abided.

I know the arguement that extreme measures are for extreme times and I've even heard very sick and confused people say that freedom is the cost of safety. Nobody who Homeland Security has removed from their lives have been tried yet. We don't know if surrendurring these freedoms has helped us catch a single terrorist. We honestly don't know who's at Guantanamo, for all we know the prison is full of Law Abiding folks who asked the wrong questions or spoke out a little too loudly about the Government.

Answer 4

The Patriot Act 'requires' all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information such as name, address, social security number and other information to verify the identity of any one opening an account or applying for a loan. Many of the people who obtain that infomation are not screened very well. Who knows 'who' obtained your information and if they kept it for their personal use for some illegal use, such as account numbers, security codes, etc. Think about it. A 'law abiding' citizen could be hurt by thistype of obtaining of info. Those obtaining that info should be screened closely. I do realize it is the better of two evils, however. It just needs to be closely monitored.

Answer 5

I get screwed over as it guts the 6th Amendment of the US Constitution and is more than likely a Constitutionally flawed law!

I don't care whether you have anything to hide! Neither do I! I do care that the government is gathering information secretly, and you don't know what information or how it is being used, much like J.Edgar Hoover use to like to do! That is plain Unconstitutional and he has no rights to spy on any American illegally!

And I suspect you have a few skeletons in your closet! I know Bush has a lot of them, many now sealed from public view, like his Cocaine conviction in Texas!

Those who died for your freedoms must be turning over in their graves when they hear people like you! Our freedoms cost people and families a lot and you are so willing to just say, "who cares!"

"Article the sixth [Amendment IV]

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
"

Answer 6

A real patriot would never discount the Constitution. The Bill of Rights are the most fundamental of American Rights, that includes the right to privacy.

Answer 7

Say, for instance I'm talking to my mom on the phone and I'm ticked off because Bush said something even dumber than usual and I lose it and say "Man I'd love to s***t Bush." (I don't even want to type it out.) Now, I don't mean anything by it. I'm not planning or plotting. Just letting off steam, but some CIA dweeb picks up on it and next thing I know I'm off to Guantanamo. As an American I resent the idea of being careful about what I say.

Answer 8

Being "a law abiding citizen that has nothing to hide" is not the point. We are being deprived of our right to privacy. That is the point. For that not to bother you tells me that you would be willing to deprive yourself of just about every right you have as long as it is for the benefit and safety of the country.

Answer 9

It's just example of too much government in our faces.
Really, I thought the conserves were in favor of small gov.
The patriot act sounds like it is taken from the Third Reich -
disturbing.

Answer 10

hell no Progressivism is the challenge. that's the action of attempting to restoration what isn’t broke and interior the technique completely breaking it. I specific felt freer till now all of the do reliable liberals stepped in and desperate to save me from myself whilst all they actually had to do to save united statesa. become to resign corrupting it and ruining it interior the 1st place. Had they only committed suicide extremely then we could all nevertheless be unfastened. What they have performed is unforgivable. they have waged racial McCarthyism on the common Joe and declared each unfavourable white guy a racist till shown otherwise, stepped throughout our freedoms, stepped throughout our freedom of religion and gave us a clean faith in that is place that calls for finished obedience. What we've right here is the snobby elitist enlightened wealthy liberals genuinely forcing their faith/thought device on us and making us an furnish we can't refuse. they are persecuting the unfavourable. in addition to no longer basically are they forcing their ideals on us and not letting us have the alternative of refusing it. they are additionally removing each little thing from us on the comparable time. we can't actually have a us of a with borders or they are saying we are Nazis in simple terms because of fact we could like borders and the guard feeling that incorporates understanding that we are nevertheless a unfastened and sovereign us of a. And for that we are Nazis? i assumed we had the constitutional superb to sense secure and guard in our very own us of a. you understand who the Nazis are? wealthy, Little white ******* liberals.THAT"S WHO!

Answer 11

It is uncertain how many individuals or organizations have been charged or convicted under the Act. The Department of Justice has refused to release data.