A Justice Department audit found FBI abused the Patriot Act: The Attorney General, says it was a mistake...?

Question

"There is no excuse for the mistakes that have been made, and we are going to make things right as quickly as possible."

--Alberto Gonzales, U.S. attorney general

Justice Dept.: FBI Misused Patriot Act
http://wibc.com/news/article.aspx?id=1073317

Do you think it was a mistake or just a reflection of what Pres. G.W. Bush thinks of our constitiontional rights, "Just a goddamn piece of paper" ?

Answer 1

This is typical of the Bush Administration. It has a standing recording of breaking laws and ignoring Constitution and disregarding civil and human rights; the present administration simply believes they are above the laws but think they can impose the same laws they break and impose ethics and morals on the rest of humanity that they are not subject to. HOWEVER, let someone else drop a candy wrapper and they're quick to arrest that person!

Reminiscent of McCarthyism, it was "OK" when the entire nation was in mortal fear of communists that the citizenry was put under by the government propaganda, the abuses were tolerated until one person stood his ground and others quickly followed... and today, we remember the McCarthy era with disdain and embarrassment for the excesses and the many lives it ruined. Maybe in ten or twenty years we'll look back and view the so-called Patriot Act as anything but patriotic but abuse of powers by demagogues who instilled fear into the citizenry in order to give themselves powers above the Constitution and the standing laws...?

EDITED: yupchagee, there are about 620 entries in Google… will these suffice for you?
http://www.federalobserver.com/archive.php?aid=10352
http://www.rense.com/general69/paper.htm
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/december2005/091205pieceofpaper.htm
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/5691
http://colorado.indymedia.org/newswire/display/12159/index.php
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/pol/283041981.html
http://www.coastalpost.com/06/01/31.html
http://episode245.blogspot.com/2005/12/bush-on-constitution-its-just.html
http://www.mccmedia.com/pipermail/brin-l/Week-of-Mon-20051205/034416.html
http://www.911omissionreport.com/bush_on_constitution.html
http://karlhessclub.blogspot.com/2005/12/bush-says-constitution-is-just.html

The DOJ is "correcting" or re-writing history? What is it that you're suggesting? HAVE YOU READ Orwell's "1984" lately? How about Orwell's "Animal Farm"?

Answer 2

Mistake? No. However, the Federal government is by far too large to do anything well or to be accountable to the people. In addition, there has only been one Attorney General ever that has made headway at controlling the FBI and he was assassinated. The long history of coruption, law breaking, and playing politics is the main reason that I oppose the USA Tyrrany Act. It's naive at best to believe rougue government agencies will not abuse the power.

One other thing. You're confusing the quote by the Clinton administration advisor that "the Constitution is a scrap of paper that needs to be done away with" with President Bush.

Answer 3

Well, I think it was inevitable. Whenever you give the government more power, there are certain elements that will abuse it. The FBI isn't the always the "great, angelic protectors of society" that television and film always make them out to be. They have kind of a sordid past, actually.

The only way to make sure that it doesn't happen again is to repeal certain provisions of the act, if not the whole thing. There's nothing in that law that would prevent another 9/11. Our other laws are sufficient if our government remains vigilant.

Answer 4

Everyone here who doubts the credibility of the Bush Administration because of this need to remember that the FBI has alway's been an organization of arrogant morons that will sooner see your kid's head sent home in a box, enabling them to catch the crook than making sure s/he get home safe(while blowing off everyone else involved in the investigation)

Answer 5

Given the continuous and frequent violations and the long-running excuses by the Bush regime, it can hardly be a "mistake" that the FBI did exactly what the Bush regime order them to do, and violated some of the same laws the NSA violated in the process.

Answer 6

that's such an abuse of capacity which you do no longer might desire to pass to the point of calling it the U.S. patriot act. How is unpatriotic to insist that the FBI obey the regulation? For all those people who think of that they are of no activity and in the event that they regarded who cares, think of roughly this; do you have faith them to look after even your trouble-free counsel, call, social secure practices,medical historic previous, without them dropping it or stepping into the incorrect palms? think of of the recent circumstances the place hundreds of names and appropriate counsel grew to become into taken domicile on computers that have been stolen, think of of the wear and tear this might have led to in a rustic as dedicated to credit as we are. At heart although the venture is one among human nature, in case you provide a guy the capacity you will possibly be able to desire to rein him in or somebody someplace will abuse it.

Answer 7

...and as you put your head on your pillow tonight to go to sleep, try to remember it's because of the "balls" of J.W. that you'll most likely will be safe tonight... The Homeland Security Agency is "out there" doing it's job... The Police are on patrol, The US Coast Guard is up all night long... The National Guard is "at the ready" and the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines are at their posts !!! all for YOU !!!!

Answer 8

My feeling is that the current Administration views the Constitution and the Bill of Rights as a 'list of suggestions.'

Answer 9

It was a mistake, picked up by the DOJ & is being corrected. Find proof that Bush ever made the statement you attribute to him or I can only assume that you are bearing false witness.

Answer 10

Have you ever made a mistake? Give the general a break.