As you've probably seen in today's headlines, the government is now reporting rampant FBI abuses of the Patriot Act's National Security Letter (NSL) provision that gives agents sweeping powers to demand sensitive personal records without court approval.
The report reveals that, from 2003 to 2005, the government issued a staggering 143,000 National Security Letters, in some cases barring recipients from even reporting they've received a letter. How much more proof does Congress need that this dangerous provision defies democratic values? How many more of us will be investigated and gagged before the FBI is reined in?
There's only one course of action. It is time for Congress to repeal the expanded Patriot Act powers that opened the door to these abuses.
2007-03-10 00:33:21 · 14 answers · asked by courage 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
We only have those rights we can defend. And we only have those freedoms that we do not allow to be taken from us.
We've lost so many of the rights that this country was founded upon, but because so few people have actually tried to exercise those rights, most people don't even believe they're gone.
I've even heard people argue that because they've never needed the right to counsel or the right to trial or the right to habeas corpus, those rights don't count as being lost. The fact that other people have lost them doesn't count, until they personally have been denied. It's mind boggling.
Nothing that we've lost so far is beyond recovery (except our integrity and reputation in the worldwide community -- those will take a long time to get back). But it's a slippery slope, and the longer we allow our govt to abuse its power, the harder is going to be to reclaim that power for the people.
2007-03-10 04:05:50 · answer #1 · answered by coragryph 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The "ot" of the Patriot Act stands for "obstructing terrorism". All this wire tapping and info gathering can -only- pertain to terror related activities. If someone is wiretapped and the feds hear a drug deal going down they cannot call the local police and use the call as evidence. If this happened you would certainly hear about it all over the news and the case would make national headlines. I don't know 1 person who was detained and dragged out of their house in the middle of the night by federal "storm troopers" (Oh wait, Elian Gonzales--nice one Reno!) I don't know anyone who's life has been oppressed due to the Patriot act. Does anyone know someone (or friend of a friend) who has been oppressed and made their life miserable under these "Hitlerian" conditions? Only thing I can think of is people being held hostage on Jet Blue for 10 hours while the terminal was 50ft away.
Now if some agents were getting power hungry and spied on their neighbors, of course this should be dealt with seriously.
2007-03-10 00:56:41 · answer #2 · answered by GenYBother 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Presumably, the Patriot Act was implemented, in good faith, for the good of the country and its citizens. But once again, we see that a government agency is incapable of developing, implementing and managing a complex process. The running of the inner workings of the Patriot Act is a business function...and should be treated as such. And truly, government employees and officials are not equipped to handle business functions.
With how it is run, it is ineffectual and intrusive...and should be scrapped.
2007-03-10 00:38:42 · answer #3 · answered by Super Ruper 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
like Bill Maher says, I hate the Right, but the Left isn't coming to the plate...there is really no choices...I will continue to vote Dem, but if an interesting Independent comes up, different story. To me the Dems are just the lesser of 2 evils...I KNOW the Repubs are going give to the rich--figure out ways to get religion into the peaceful heathens minding their own business whether they want it or not---control us in the work place and in our personal affairs............But the Dems are just as likely to side away from the middle class if they aren't threatened daily....................I'm waiting for a person to really step up and do something big and positive...a real shaker and mover...another FDR crossed with Reagan and Clinton...somebody who can re-set this train wreck of a country on a new track............but for now, we are just the drones that feed the queen.
2007-03-10 00:54:01 · answer #4 · answered by Ford Prefect 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pandora's box was cracked open a long time before the "Patriot" Act. But other than that. Preach on. Good to see idealism isn't dead. Though you've probably got the feebs on your butt now.
2007-03-10 00:39:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It takes some drasitic measures to protect a place from those who want to steal it from you. "Together we stand, divided we fall," was first said when we did not have these modern things of communication. But the princples are the same. We must stand together and prevent those who want our life styles from stealing it away from us. Some people are just lazy and do not want to work for what they want. They rather steal it. If it means we must have a national registry of our names, locations, etc, to prevent fakers from stealing what they want from us, then so be it.
It also goes back to the saying, If You Have Nothing To Hide then you should not be concerned about registering. Its only those people who are thieves who want to hide their identity.
If you want to be a slave and be forced to do things for the pleasure of others, then fight the modern system and watch the terrorist laugh at you for believing their lies. Look back at history; review what is common to the dictators -- each wanted to run everyone else's lives. And they always said, if you are not for me, then you are an enemy and shall be destoryed. If you are for me, then you will do as I say.
But in a true free land, the only thing a leader wants is voluntary cooperation to help others, not the leader, live a better life.
A leader of free people will help you help others live better. A dictator of terrorists will force you to make his life easier.
Read history and make your own choice.
2007-03-10 01:15:52 · answer #6 · answered by Dennis L 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
desire became left...in step with threat the evils of the international flew out, yet Pandora close the field of all interest in time to go away desire..with out desire, it may be worse than all evils..desire can deliver braveness, braveness, strenght and the strenght to conquer the enticements of the evils of this international...Timing is each thing they say
2016-10-01 21:24:42 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because of terrorism the patriot act is necessary, but it needs to not be
heavy handed and needs to be implemented fairly along with other
laws designed to keep undesirable elements outside your country........
2007-03-10 00:38:09 · answer #8 · answered by gorglin 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Benjamin Franklin say it best "anyone willing to give up their freedom for security deserves neither"
2007-03-10 00:50:33 · answer #9 · answered by David R 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Order yourself a copy of the movie Freedom To Fascism at http://www.freedomtofascism.com
2007-03-10 00:35:44 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋