The "Patriot Act".....Do you think this act is unconstitutional? Or invades personal rights?

Question

The Patriot Act is when the Government has the right to tap your phones, look through your emails, and can invade your home when your not around.what is your opinion on this?

ok...I have some things to add....First of all....Theoldman said the government has the power to do anything they want to and that we told them to, no that's not true. By the constitution, the people have control over the government. "BY the People, For the people.." DUH!

and Butterbar Bob....You're a smart ***.

:-)


In my opinion, I do believe that it does invade personal rights, and I understand that we're trying to keep our country safe. Im with Steve C here...I don't think that terrorists are stupid enough to have their plans be out in the open like that. it's kind of a duh situation.

Answer 1

I find it amusing that the Democrats had no issue with this when it was done under Clinton. Gee, can you say, "blindly partisan"? I knew you could.
-----------
"The Department of Justice believes -- and the case law supports -- that the president has inherent authority to conduct warrantless physical searches for foreign intelligence purposes and that the president may, as he has done, delegate this authority to the attorney general," Clinton Deputy Attorney General Jamie S. Gorelick said in 1994

Add to this the fact that they've never claimed they could or would tap any phone or email for any reason, but for very specific reasons, and if without a warrant, only in limited situations, then your concern is out of proportion to the actual threat against your rights and liberties.

I'm just wondering why so many of you aren't concerned about your loss of political speech rights in campaign finance "reform" laws.

Answer 2

No, it is not.

The Patriot Act allows, and requires, government agencies to share all applicable information and knowledge when terrorist acts are considered to be likely possible results of already obtained knowledge and information. If a gov't agency arrests or prosecutes based on information acquired for a non-terrorist activity, the person cannot be found guilty and cannot be tried again for the same charge in conjunction with protection from double jeopardy.

Still, the Patriot Act has to be watched out for. Just because the information cannot be used directly for prosecution doesn't mean the government still has not taken the right to look into personal information. Most of the information they look at is valid for one or both of two reasons:

a) The information is being transferred from one government institution to another. If the government owns a library, then it should be able to see the lending records of that library because the government owns (or is associated with) the library. If you own a bunch of books and are having a librarian send them to friends through power of attorney, shouldn't you be able to see who the librarian has lent them to since they ARE YOUR books?

b) The government can only do so much and can't keep tabs on everyone even if it wanted to. For this reason, agencies won't investigate an individual unless he brings a ton of attention to his profile and doesn't show the government that he has a legal team which could make things very complicated. This is why celebrities, politicans, executives, and other big elites don't get targeted with the patriot act; the government knows that they have their own private legal teams and that if they did investigate them (for legitimate or ridiculous claims) they would have to go through the mess of going to court and settling the matter of what was going on.

As much as I believe in preserving liberties and freedoms, I have to say the Patriot Act really isn't that bad especially since we live in a country with a relatively extremely low level of corruption. For some reason, we keep calling ourselves bad guys and honor the efforts of countries like France, Venezuela, Iran, Cuba, Mexico, Serbia for their wonderful reforms. Guys, comon. Yes, we could be better and purer, but it is a lot worse out there, a LOT worse and we shouldn't lie to ourselves saying that they are doing what they can and we have an obligation to help them.

The US is the most free country on the planet and has the most opportunity around. That's why people still come over here to work and learn and network and do all those great things needed to be done in order to get business done. We live in a great country guys, the best one on the planet, and we shouldn't waste it (conservatives need to become more flexible and liberals need to become more stable). Let's enjoy this blessing of an opportunity and show the world that we ARE good people by showing the world what we really ARE capable of.

Answer 3

I disagree with the comment "the government has the right to do anything..." because it doesn't.

However, I do believe that the government has the right to protect the interests of this Nation.

The Patriot Act is nothing more than the governments ability to "extend" its' ability to look for terrorist activities without as much "red tape" that it would normally take.

What many don't understand is that the government isn't wiretapping telephone calls that discuss mom's homemade applepie recipe.

If you don't think the internet is used to communicate illegal activities....you'd better wake up...because this means of "communication" has already been proven since the concept of home computer systems became a reality!

The technology is there where specific "trigger words" can be electronically identified that will "alert" and prompt specific actions that bring forth closer examination of "suspicious" activities which are then investigated using the requirements of the law in force as they've always been.

Sadly, many people neglect to listen and research without being biased BEFORE they comment about what they heard from rumors and inuendo's.

As for my own privacy...like others have said...when over 3,000 innocent lives were abruptly taken in less than one hour, on 9/11, by terrorists who don't care about anything or anybody, I'm willing to delay my activities in order that security measures are taken to insure ALL our safety!

One only needs to learn anothers hidden "agenda" or motive when they are spouting off negatively towards anothers goals towards providing for a better world!

Answer 4

I think the Patriot Act is a joke. It just gives the government carte blanche to do what they want to their citizens......and if you disagree, you can be labelled "unpatriotic"....

One cannot be forced to be a patriot. You either are or you are not. An individuals actions, when legal, cannot be termed either patriotic or unpatriotic. We have many freedoms in this country - one of them is the right to disagree, another is the right to dissent. When those are attacked by the government, then democracy is lost. All you need to do is read the history of some of the failures in history; the Nazi party, the old USSR and others where people were forced to be "patriotic".

Answer 5

No!
On both questions.
Yes the government has the right to do whatever it wants.
We the American people told them to.
A people choose how they want to be governed under our system and if they gave the powers to the elected representatives to act in their behest and install such an act, then that is what we must do.
It is beyond the people today to return to the confines of the old constitution and we need a new one telling us what we can do in order to not break any laws and what is expected of us in return for the Government to protect our bodies and lifestyles.

Answer 6

I think suspension of habeas corpus against legal residents is unconstitutional.

I think the other programs should be monitored by a court, as with other 'warrants'. However, I understand that is how they are going to be handling it, now.

Answer 7

I think it is fairly obvious. I think it is an invasion of privacy. Republicans will say that it is a necessary tool for the War on Terror. I'm sure terrosists are e-mailing their plans back and forth over the internet.

Answer 8

Read the act. It is not an unfettered right. And, I do think it is both consitiutional and in the national interest. Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to worry about.

Answer 9

I agree with JohnK. We are in different times. People had better wise up. We need more seurity than ever.