what does the patriot act allow law enforcement to do?

Answer 1

The 'Patriot Act' (a stupid name IMO) is really nothing more than a recompilation of already existing laws. It clarified things and in one case got rid of two laws that contradicted each other.

The only real and substantial change was in the laws covering intelligence gathering inside the US borders. Under the Patriot Act US intelligence services do not need to get a warrant to monitor phone calls under the following conditions:

1) if one end of the call was outside the territorial boundaries of the US.

2) If one end of the call is an already identified and approved intelligence target.

3) The information gathered could not be used as evidence.

Wikipedia has a good writeup of the act:

Answer 2

what are you afraid of?..it allows The Gov to bypass civil liberties that get in the way of gathering evidience to prevent another 9/11...if you are not doing anything illegal,or subversive,or otherwise against the peace and dignity of the US,then it doesnt matter what it allows......go get a life and forget what you hear on liberal media outlets and places like this

Answer 3

It allows wire tapping and other spying without court oversight. It allows the government to arrest and hold indefinately suspected terrorist without telling them what they are charged with and without allowing them to defend themselves. It allows methods of interrogation that most nations consider torture to be used to extract
information and or confessions. It makes us turn our backs on our own constitution, just as the terrorists wanted.

Answer 4

Basically, the Patriot Act USURPS all your constitutional rights, and they can do whatever they please with you.It is a very, very dangerous curtailment of our constituional rights.

Answer 5

Shoot Patriot missiles at criminals,,,,,

Answer 6

Anything they want, claiming to uphold the law.

Answer 7

what they want