New York Times: The Patriot Act, the kitchen sink of the police state?

[Kirk Freeman]

Acting under the smokescreen of "fighting terrorism" the Patriot Act became a wish list for expanded police powers. An excellent article from the New York Times:

Patriot Act - 9/11 Encyclopedia - September 11 10th Anniversary – NYMag

 

[Stschil]

Dinh sent an e-mail to the nation’s U.S. attorneys and FBI agents, asking for ideas. G-men are not constitutional lawyers, and excesses were rife: Someone wanted to send neighborhood watches in search of sordid types. The attorneys at Justice made piles, winnowing as they went: “Crazy Ideas,” “Quarter-Baked,” “Half-Baked.”

So, which of the above idea piles makes up the bulk of the legislation now?

Im guessing "Half Baked" made the original cut and survived.

 

[rambone]

 

[IndySSD]

Acting under the smokescreen of "fighting terrorism" the Patriot Act became a wish list for expanded police powers. An excellent article from the New York Times:

Patriot Act - 9/11 Encyclopedia - September 11 10th Anniversary – NYMag

Nooo..... I'm out of rep.....

 

[HeadlessRoland]

Those who actually own and run this country have wanted these abilities for decades upon decades. Handily some muslims did most of the hard work for them, which was namely to convince the People that these new overreaching edicts were for the best, needed to help keep us and our loved ones safe. After you convince people that they need something to be completely safe they'll do anything to keep you in power and let you do whatever you want. which is exactly what weve got now.

 

[CarmelHP]

Acting under the smokescreen of "fighting terrorism" the Patriot Act became a wish list for expanded police powers. An excellent article from the New York Times:

Patriot Act - 9/11 Encyclopedia - September 11 10th Anniversary – NYMag

Is there a complaint? The article seemed to conclude that everyone is OK with it now.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Carmel, more for background.

Believe it or not, I don't have a grievance, just trying to edjamakate.

 

[CarmelHP]

Carmel, more for background.

Believe it or not, I don't have a grievance, just trying to edjamakate.

I mean did the NYT have a complaint, it ended with a, "oh well, civil libertarians were OK with a little fine tuning and all are happy" kind of statement?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Usually the NYT has a complaint and it is about conservatives but that is confined to the opinion page . . . and the front page . . . and the Metro section . . . and the sports page . . . and the restaurant guide . . . and the review of books . . . and the . . .

 

[CarmelHP]

Usually the NYT has a complaint and it is about conservatives but that is confined to the opinion page . . . and the front page . . . and the Metro section . . . and the sports page . . . and the restaurant guide . . . and the review of books . . . and the . . .

That is about how it went, evil conservatives thought it up, but Obama came along, tweaked it a little, called it his own, and all civil libertarians said "amen."

 

[rambone]

...and all civil libertarians said "amen."

In their dreams.

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

Booo Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review... you let us all down.