What privacy's are you losing under the Patriot Act?

Question

I'll answer my own question: NONE

If you keep your nose clean and do what you are supposed to you have no reason to fear the Patriot Act.

All this talk about the gov't "taking people's civil liberties etc", yet no one can tell me how they PERSONALLY were negatively impacted from the law.

Again, do you what you are supposed to and you have nothing to worry about.

Honestly-do you really think that before the Patriot Act the gov't agencies didn't spy on citizens they deemed suspicious?
Wiretaps etc have been going on for alot longer than the PA.

Aha-So you don't want the gov't "interfering" in our private lives, but you probably want them to regulate guns, ban sodas in school lunchrooms, take prayer of schools, right? Libs make no sense.

Rooster, other paranoid individuals-The gov't is not going to waste time and tax money looking into people that are not suspicious! Get that through your head already!! Don't do anything suspicious and you have nothing to worry about!!

I still have yet to hear from even ONE person on how they were negatively impacted with the PA. So far nothing but a bunch of hearsay from the libs.

Answer 1

You are correct. If some of the non-scholarly critics would take the time to actually read the Patriot Act (not its real name by the way) they would learn that a person does not lose a thing.

In reality, Patriot is an updated FISA put in place in the 70s, by all people--the democrats--who wanted better surveillance following Vietnam. Patriot merely added the ability to tap electronic devices such as personal computers and cell phones, something not around in 1978.

Contrary to popular belief, warrants are required (section 2-teen-something--I forget as it's been a while since I read it.), and cannot be obtained unless there is probable cause of a possible terrorist act against the US. The government has been thrashed because of it implementation, but I would have been upset if they *had not* done something like this.

Answer 2

If I am doing what I am supposed to then what right does the US govt have looking into what I am doing -?NONE- the patriot act is nothing compared to HR1955 which passed in the house of reps and is now in the senate awaiting approval -

liberty is not a crime the day it is the only people who will be able to save us will be criminals .

Answer 3

The right to be secure in your person and papers.
The right to a speedy trial
The right to hear the charges against you
The right to have an attorney
The right to hear the evidence against you.

Your right the Patriot Act does fall within the Constitution, about has much as the sun and the Earth look like each other.

Also the idea of if you keep your nose clean and do what you are supposed to. Who decides what you are supposed to do? Who watches the watchers? Finally who decides when you are out of line?

Answer 4

It doesn't matter whether or not you have something to worry about. It is about our government being handed a license to participate in our lives. Our country was founded on the individual having rights and freedoms, and the government not interfering. If only it was as simple as you're making it out to be.

EDIT: OK, here's some info on the Supreme Court's feelings about privacy.

http://www.usconstitution.net/constnot.html#privacy

Specifically, scroll down and you'll find the paragraph that talks about it.

"The Right To Privacy

The Constitution does not specifically mention a right to privacy. However, Supreme Court decisions over the years have established that the right to privacy is a basic human right, and as such is protected by virtue of the 9th Amendment. The right to privacy has come to the public's attention via several controversial Supreme Court rulings, including several dealing with contraception (the Griswold and Eisenstadt cases), interracial marriage (the Loving case), and abortion (the well-known Roe v Wade case). In addition, it is said that a right to privacy is inherent in many of the amendments in the Bill of Rights, such as the 3rd, the 4Th's search and seizure limits, and the 5Th's self-incrimination limit."

Since the Supreme Court is the ultimate say in interpreting the Constitution, I would say that the Patriot Act is unconstitutional.

Answer 5

Here’s a list of our rights guaranteed by our Constitution before the Patriot Act:

1. Freedom of Religion, speech and press

2. The right to keep and bear arms.

3. Protection from Quartering troops.

4. Freedom from unreasonable Search and seizure.

5. Right to due process, from double jeopardy, from self
incrimination and to own private property.

6. Right to a trail by jury and rights of the accused.

7. Right to counsel even if you can't afford it. Civil trial by jury.

8. Prohibition of excessive bail - right not to be tortured.

9. Protection of rights specifically not listed in the Bill of rights.

10. People and state individually have the right to govern themselves independently.

Here’s the list after the Patriot Act was enabled:

2. The right to keep and bear arms.

3. Protection from Quartering troops.

Any questions?

Answer 6

we have to be careful with this patriot act its a slight tilt toward fascism.

the partiot law violates a number of amendments the 1st 4th 5th and 6th

1st amendment congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech-under the patriot act if u get arrested for suspicion of whatever u can't tell anybody u've been served,that violates freedom of speech.
4th amendment-right to be secure in ur persons against ureasonalble searches-under this amendment the government has to go through a neutral party ,a judge,to get a search warrant.whoever wants the search warrant much provide provable cause to the judge to get the warrant.under the patriot act an fbi agent can write his own warrant without going through a neutral party and having provable cause.it violates the 4th
5th-the 5th says a person much be indicted by grand jury to hold them in jail.under patriot act u can be held as long as they think ur a threat without an indictment.

6th-In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district where in the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

under the patrot act u can be denied the right to counsel and a lawyer the right to know what ur being accused of and the right to a speedy trial,this is also known as hebeas corpus and hebeas corpus has been suspended under the patriot act

Answer 7

Sneak And Peak Searches allow Federal Law Enforcement enter your house, search it and leave without notifying you and without getting a court order for 48 hours after the search, this obviously infringes on everyone civil liberties. Key Word
OBVIOUSLY

Answer 8

The Bill of Rights state:
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

The people are not now secure "against unreasonable searches and seizures" because of sneak and peek warrantless searches.

People are being held without "presentment or indictment of a grand jury"

Answer 9

You might support survellence of Americans, but, do know it is happening.

Such information could be used against a person unwittingly for reasons undefined.

Legislation needs developing to put limits of how this information can be used, and, by what agency.

Answer 10

It is a scary thing, because this is what fascist regimes do. They put the fear of god into people to keep in power. There are a lot of things happening like this. Haven't you noticed that almost every time there is an important vote, the terror level goes up? I agree, keep your nose clean - but I don't like the idea of big bro being able to listen in on my private business if it wants to.