What are some examples of the Patriot Act working?
85282
there have been no terrorist attacks on US soil. Knock on wood
942743
I don't think in the next 2-5 years, but yes I think the US is going that way.\nIf one reads history as to how those Nazi, Fascist, and Communist came to power, it was mainly supporting a "just cause" supported by the people.\nI would think the Patriot Act falls under one of those "just causes" by creating fear and the people so willing to give up freedoms  that our forefathers fought for in lieu of feeling secure when they are no more secure than yesterday. Then yet, the government has more control over you. Try updating your drivers license which will get a new issue date on it and then try opening a new bank account even with a US born and raised birth certificate and the Act won't allow you to. What kind of "just cause" is that to prevent me from changing banks? I was in the military and fought for this country in an unpopular war and I'm afraid that some day soon big brother can come and just pick you up and make you disappear without question. Just like the Nazi's did.
995377
Well, there's the Freedom Of Infomation Act, so any one can get any infomation they want except those pretaining to state security. Even criminals make use of this before launching their activities.
226920
Yes. I'm very upset at how the Bush administration has perverted the English language. "Patriot Act" takes away civil liberties. "Clean Water Act" allows companies to dump as much crud as they please in the water, and so on. \n\nThe Patriot Act allows the government to know which books you take out of the library. It denies the library the power to tell YOU that they they've been forced to tell the government which books you've checked out. \n\nStand up for your rights, kids. Once they're gone, they're gone.\n\n(And in response to another answer on this page: you don't have to wait until someone files a suit against a stupid law to know that it's wrong).
846976
Homeland security is intended to protect the country from terrorism.  However, the fight against terrorism entails an intrusion into private records and bank accounts in order to identify terrorists and their supporters which is a tradeoff for civil liberties considering that innocent persons might be breached.
791324
It ought to be, abolishing the patriot act is a priority which is why Bush is pressing the outgoing congress to pass a tougher wire tap version now!\n\nBen Franklin said if one is willing to sacrifice someliberties for security soon you will have neither
887966
Well, if you search for "Bill of Rights", and read through them all, that may give you some ideas. The Founding Fathers not only wanted to eliminate the abuses of King George (housing soldiers without permission of the owners; search and seizure without due process etc), but also, in their wisdom, wanted to protect our rights in the future.\n\nThe Patriot Act, was, of course enacted after the events of 9-11. There are still many unanswered questions about the events of that day; it was an act of terror, that not even Russia could have pulled off -- who then "threw the switch"; who brought down America's security screen? and, for what purpose? Didn't the Nazis do something similar, in the events around the "Reichstag Fire"? Didn't they suspend the German Constitution, in the name of "Protection"? Wasn't it the case, that then elections were suspended, for about 12 years?? Shouldn't we as citizens, be asking some tough questions, about this administration, and the President's "signing statements"? Why didn't the President, follow legal procedure, when ordering wiretaps of American citizens?\n\nIf we accept a suspension of our rights, what then can we expect? Does the Patriot Act, really provide any more protection, than we had before? Is there, perhaps, an "enemy within"??\n\nA few years ago, there was a case of a sniper, in Maryland and in Virginia, who murdered a number of people. One man was quoted on the news, "If we have to have a police state, so that I can mow my lawn in peace, then let's bring on the police state".\n\nIs that any way to live?? If we could put a man on the Moon, don't you think we (and other nations working with us) could root out the source of terrorism, if someone really wanted it to be stopped??\n\nHope that helps, to give you some ideas.
238349
Ordinary, law abiding citizens have nothing to worry about with the Patriot Act... for example, if you don't make phone calls to Afghanistan to discuss ways to kill Americans from a US phone, you have nothing to worry about!  Who are the people complaining about this... are they criminals?  I don't understand the fear of those who say this is an attack on civil liberties... the opposite is true.  The ACLU defends terrorists in Guantanamo in the interest of civil liberties... so they can attack us again -and if they get their way, maybe we will all live under Sharia law in the US... with no civil liberties... don't people get it?  Freedom isn't free... it has to be guarded.  The Patriot Act GUARDS the freedom of regular, law-abiding citizens... if that scares some, I question what they are doing that they would worry that the government would actually stumble upon something dealing with them while tracking terrorist movements and conversations!!!!  I for one am not concerned as I am more interested in my children's future than that of the terrorists or criminals.\n\nLet me just ask one question of those who hate the Act... Have you in the last five years since it was passed, had your personal liberties directly threatened or negated by this Act?  Or is it just a fad to disagree?
43724
"The PATRIOT Act is essential to protecting the American people against the terrorists. The Act tore down the wall between law enforcement and intelligence officials so that they can share information and work together to help prevent attacks. … The PATRIOT Act has helped us to disrupt terrorist plots and break up cells here in the United States. I will work closely with the House and Senate to make sure that we are not without this crucial law for even a day."(1)\n\n"The official title of the USA PATRIOT Act is "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act of 2001." \n\nYES! it is Necessary!!!!!
442911
Myth: The Patriot Act simply updated the tools of law enforcement to match the technology used by the terrorists and criminals today.\nReality: The Patriot Act “updated” surveillance powers but failed to “update” the checks and balances needed to ensure those surveillance powers include proper judicial oversight. \n\nSection 206 of the Patriot Act allows the government to obtain “roving wiretaps” without empowering the court to make sure that the government ascertain that the conversations being intercepted actually involve a target of the investigation.  \n\n“Pen registers” and “trap and trace” devices are also allowed and track detailed information about Internet use, like specific web pages viewed or search terms entered into a search engine read more:http://action.aclu.org/reformthepatriotact/facts.html#two\nMyth: The Patriot Act is “mostly taking what we can do to track drug dealers and thugs and give those tools to people tracking spies and terrorists.”\nReality: Before the Patriot Act, the government could use the same tools, like wiretapping or using grand jury subpoenas, to investigate drug dealers and terrorists. The government simply had to be investigating a crime of terrorism.  \nMyth: The codification of delayed notice warrants in the Patriot Act “brought national uniformity to a court-approved law enforcement tool that had been in existence for decades.”\nReality: The Patriot Act’s “sneak and peek” provision is about lowering standards for sneak and peek warrants, not imposing uniformity. Section 213 of the Patriot Act allows notice of search warrants to be delayed for an indefinite “reasonable time.” \nMyth: The primary effect of the Patriot Act was to “bring down this ‘wall’ separating intelligence officers from law enforcement agents” in coordination and information sharing.\nReality: Information sharing between criminal and intelligence investigations occurred before Sept. 11, 2001 and the Patriot Act. The primary effect of the Patriot Act was to remove necessary checks and balances in foreign intelligence investigations\nMyth: The Patriot Act’s “new powers have allowed authorities to charge more than 400 people in terrorism investigations since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and convict more than half.”\nReality: The government attributes convictions it says are terrorism-related that have nothing to do with the Patriot Act. The “400 convictions” claim overstates actual number of convictions and omits a number of key facts related to these numbers. Only 39 of these individuals were convicted of crimes related to terrorism. The median sentence for these crimes was 11 months, which indicates the crime the government equated with terrorism was not serious\nMyth: The Patriot Act does not contain a provision that allows the government to obtain library records, and “[t]he reading habits of ordinary Americans are of no interest to those investigating terrorists or spies.”\nReality: Section215 of Patriot Act does cover library records. It authorizes the government to more easily obtain a court order requiring a person or business to turn over documents or things “sought for” an investigation to protect against international terrorism. Business records include library records.\n\nYour medical records, records and lists of individuals who belong to political organizations are also fair game for the government to seize\nMyth: “[The] Patriot Act is chock-full of oversight in a lot of ways that regular criminal procedure is not:  full of the involvement of federal judges…”\nReality: The statute authorizing the use of “national security letters” as amended by the Patriot Act 505(a) contains no judicial oversight. The statute allows the government to compel the production of financial records, credit reports, telephone, Internet, and other communications or transactional records. \nSection 215 requires the FBI to apply to a Foreign Intelligence Sur
183379
The Patriot Act, giving up rights for freedom, afghanistan, the iraq war, iraqi people are free and in temporary chaos, homeland security dept made, you can probably think of others. 9/11 sent a shockwave throughout the world which will forever change it.
48294
The Voting Rights Act and the Patriot Act
386923
The first amendment says freedom of speech.\nThe Patriot Act allows the government to spy on you and arrest you if you "say" you're planning terrorism.\n\nThat's one link.
723265
I have one right now and you have to have a current address in that same area. They do a spying check now with the Patriot Act. Mail service is part of the Act. They made me fill out a form, and did a background check on me and, I have had my box for 10 years.
848579
By the complacency of its' citizens, and the fear that the government created by utilizing the media to spread false information, Weapons of Mass Distruction for instance. Creating an atmosphere of fear allowed the government to slowly and stealthfully rob you of your freedoms. The patriot act was one step, the Military Commissions Act is another. We live in the greatest country in the world, but do not be diluded into thinking that you live in a democracy elected by the people (ask Al Gore), or that you are free Try speaking out against the Government,  or exercizing your right to bear arms like the Davidians, or try not paying your property taxes, and see how long it is before the Government evict you from "Your Property". They have the right under "Imminent Domain" to seize your property for any reasonat any time. Don't believe me? Do some research. There are many many cases of this happening. Finally, try not paying your federal taxes. A tax that , by the way, was never ratified by any state in the union, and see how long it is before your wages are garnished, or  your assets seized.......Like I said. It is the greatest country in the world, and I am proud to be a citizen,  but the government is corrupt. You just have to look at the greatest Democracy ever that lasted 1000 years, the Roman Empire to know that it was greed, and corruption that brought down that empire. Greed and Corruption will eventually bring down the American Empire as well, and I doubt that it will last anywhere close to 1000 years.
749386
Here's what the Patriot Act itself did. Not what dozens of other laws passed in the last five years or fifty years have done. Just the Patriot Act. And the link below is to the full text of the Act, to verify.\n\nMost of Title I just sets forth the intent. Most of Title II and Title V allows information gained from various intelligence gathering programs to be shared between law enforcement agencies.\n\nThe rest of Title II expands surveillance authority to allow roving taps where a specific target is difficult to tie to a particular line, extends the duration of taps to 120 days for terrorism-related activities, and makes other procedural changes to FISA.\n\nNote. The NSA warrantless wiretapping program violates even the expanded authority under FISA (50 USC 7201 et seq). There was never any attempt to make the NSA program comply with the law, even with the expansions granted by the Patriot Act.\n\nTitle III provides extra tools for tracking money laundering and funding of terrorist activities. Title IV expands border security. Title VI sets up a fund for victim relief.\n\nTitle VII and Title IX provide yet more tools for sharing information between intelligence agencies. Title VIII adds and expands the list of federal crimes relating to terrorism.\n\nThe most controversial provisions are those in Title V, and a few others, than dramatically expand the type of information that can be obtained by law enforcement personnel. School records, medical records, library records, etc. However, while these might be odious and intrusive, none of these are actually unconstitutional, since they all apply in situations where a person arguably has no reasonable expectation of privacy.\n\nThe Patriot Act is like pulling open the curtains in someone's house. Yes, it's a minor invasion of privacy, and it's rude. But it's nowhere near as bad as dozens of other laws that have been passed over the past few years or the past few decades.
824161
Sounds a bit socialist to me. \n\nOnce upon a time, there was a country called America, we fought wars on our own soil and we fought bravely. We were allowed to carry guns and protect ourselves and families. Now the government doesn't think we can protect ourselves or are brave enough to fight if nessasary. \n\nNo, just because you don't believe in the patriot act doesn't mean you are not a patriot. It means you feel you are brave enough to fight what comes along. They shouldn't be tapping US they should be tapping other countries!