How Has The Patriot Act Personally Messed Up Your "Typical American Existence"?

Question

America`s libs/dems/Bush-irrational, keep telling all of us how their rights are being infringed upon.....Let`s hear some "real life" stories on how The Patriot Act as ruined your American dream......Real -Life experiences...Get ready for the drama-writers....Their input will be seen in later responses to this question. But all of you, give it a go !

Answer 1

its messed it up by increments and precedent

Answer 2

Let me preface that I am not a Dem or a Rep, nor do I irrationally hate Mr. Bush. I just think he has has made a number of fundamentally wrong decisions concerning the war on terror.

That said, and forgetting what constitutes a "typical" American existence is for a moment, it's not a terribly legitimate question to ask. There are three points I want you to consider.

First, quite apart from the fact that people often don't know what harm is done to them as much of its provisions deal with unseen activities of the government (do we always know about deadly cancers that are growing in our bodies before it's too late?), its existence often has a prohibitive impact on people's behavior. Does it have a chilling effect on the average American's willingness to criticize or question or even offer personal opinion? As someone who spends a lot of time overseas for my job, I can honestly say it does.

Second, its provisions, among other things, seriously challenge our fourth and sixth amendment rights. Does that affect me at this moment? Perhaps not. Could it affect me in the future? It is entirely possible. Any diminution of our Constitutional rights, whether theoretical or not, should be looked upon with great suspicion and concern.

Finally, the question about it affecting most people's daily lives has some rather serious implications. It implies that as long as Americans are well-fed, their favorite TV shows continue to air, and they don't know about certain activities of questionable legality, the government can do whatever it wants.

Machiavelli in his manual of autocratic control, The Prince, once famously wrote that a tyrant can get away with a lot as long as he left alone a man's wife and his property. It strikes me that Messrs. Bush et al. are taking some plays out of a Renaissance Italian politician's handbook. It wouldn't be the first time...

Cheers...

Answer 3

Bush's Patriot Act is questionable.... A judge has already declared parts unconstitutional. I will respond first to the question at hand.

What I fear with the Patriot Act is that it opens doors for incoming Presidents, and the breaking of the Constitution which could very possibly lead us into a concrete Imperialist/Facist state of government. If we allow ANY President to chip away at the Consititution, it allows ALL Presidents to chip away---til there is nothing left.

Secondly, The Patriot Act has got to have another meaning. Consider this: Unsecured Borders during Wartime, and while there is a "War on Terrorism". How many Terrorists have already infiltrated the US through those open borders?

Sooo, who IS Bush listening to? And why? I would think he would be protecting the US with closed borders. Instead, he sends thousands of troops to the Middle East, while terrorists gather here on American soil.

I think its time to worry about who's entering the U.S.

Answer 4

American liberals and libertarians are very concerned about the concentration of power now occuring in the Federal government, especially as it might affect on their constitutional rights not to be unfairly targeted or spied on without just cause.
It is clear the government needs powers to deal with terrorists, but the danger is there that it may be misused for political purposes, especially with wingnuts on this site and elsewhere (Rush, Anne) claiming being a Democrat or against the war makes you automatically unpatriotic!!!
Who died and made you idiots judge and jury of all humanity?

Answer 5

I live in constant fear that they will shut down the Politics section of Y!A and they I will have to find some other way to express myself freely. Actually I'm far more worried about Y!A Politics being shut down after Hillary is elected.

I have no problem with some of the things in the Patriot Act. If some guy who lives in a condo in Manhattan wants to buy 10 tons of (nitrate) fertilizer, I see nothing wrong with them filling out paperwork (just like everyone has always had to do every time they want to buy a gun). If a farmer is inconvenienced by filling out one more form when they make same purchase, sorry. Nobody seems concerned by the piece of paper I need to fill out to buy a gun.

Answer 6

I agree with the Patriot Act and it should have been around a long time ago. I don't care if someone is spying on me, they have for years anyways. Why do you think we have Social Secruity Numbers? They trace us with that. Same with your Drivers License, its hooked up to Government Computers, Everytime your license is put in anywhere, they know what you are doing. Just wait, one day we will all be microchipped. Passports are another tracking device. The Government does way more than we know. It's just the way it is!

Answer 7

I've never been arrested but I know I have the right to a fair trial if I ever am charged with a crime, assuming that Habeas Corpus isn't indefinitely suspended.

The lame attempt to deflect criticism of the Patriot Act by asking "what rights have you personally lost" is meaningless.

Answer 8

Patriot Act has had no impact on my life. The whiny liberals have stressed it out with their political correctness propaganda.
libertarians are indeed concerned with the way the liberals and fascist are vesting the majority of power in the Federal Government.

Answer 9

My phone company spys on me.
That didn't happen before the Patriot Act.

Answer 10

Bush recently stopped spying on peace groups. This was annonced in US state newspapers a few weeks ago.

Answer 11

It has not affected me in any way at all.