USA Patriot Act

[snak3y3z1001]

Alrite I have a paper due tomorrow and I need a bit of help. I am suppose to do this.

Pick a current Federal, State, or City issue, or law you would like to change. Explain both: 1) What is wrong now and 2) What you would do about it, including how you would organize for such a change. You should discuss likely political allies and opponents, what kind of obstacles you will need to overcome, how you would mobilize popular opinion, and how you would influence legislators, the executive, rule-makers, courts, etc. to win.

I have chosen the USA patriot Act. I have did part 1, now I need some ideas for part 2. The only thing I can think of is a petition against the act and rallies(?) This is my paper so far. Tell me how you think it is and if possible give me ideas for the second part.

The terrible events of September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 have brought fear into the homes of the American people. Merely 6 weeks after the tragic event, the Bush Administration took advantage of the distraction and the hysteria to sneak by new legislation. This new legislation is the USA Patriot Act. The USA Patriot Act is excessive, unconstitutional, oppressive, and very dangerous to the rights of Americans. The basic effects of the USA Patriot Act include: that it expands terrorism laws to include domestic terrorism, which could subject political organizations to surveillance, wiretapping, harassment, and criminal action for political advocacy; it expands the ability of law enforcement to conduct secret searches, gives them wide powers of phone and internet surveillance, and access to highly personal medical, financial, mental health, and student records with minimal judicial oversight; it allows FBI Agents to investigate American citizens for criminal matters without probable cause of crime if they say it is for intelligence purposes; lastly, the act permits non-citizens to be jailed based on mere suspicion and to be denied re-admission to the US for engaging in free speech. Suspects convicted of no crime may be detained indefinitely in six month increments without meaningful judicial review.
The USA Patriot Act was established for the sole purpose of protecting America from further terrorist attacks. However the Patriot Act targets not terrorists, but rather the American people which it intended to protect. By greatly reducing judicial oversight in terrorist related matters, the executive branch has received a great addition of undeserved power. This goes directly against the system of Checks and Balances. The Patriot Act goes beyond destroying the core basis of American government, to strip Americans from their constitutionally guaranteed rights. The Patriot Act violates the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments.
Under the Patriot Act, once Attorney General John Ashcroft has certified that an alien is a terrorist or a threat to national security, the Immigration and Naturalization Service may detain that person without indictment for seven days before it brings any immigration or criminal charges. Furthermore, the government, once it has certified someone as a terrorist or threat to national security under the seven-day holding provision, can detain the person indefinitely on nothing more than a visa violation. This completely goes against innocent until proven guilty and allows for officials to arrest, and then build a case, needing no more legitimacy then a minimal criminal action which could be completely unrelated to terrorism. The seven-day holding provision alone breaks the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments, yet there's more.
The Patriot Act allows enhanced ability to track email and internet usage, conduct searches without notification, obtain sensitive personal records, monitor financial transactions, and conduct nationwide random wiretaps. It permits law enforcement agencies to ignore the Fourth Amendments requirement of probable cause when conducting investigations of “significant purpose.” The Patriot Act also allows for the sharing of information between criminal and intelligence operations, providing the CIA with the ability of domestic spying. Criminal investigations have always been kept separate from foreign intelligence investigations for the reason that foreign intelligence agencies are not forced to provide the same constitutional rights that must be provided in criminal investigations. By removing the boundary between criminal and foreign intelligence agencies, many of American constitutional protections are lost. Sneak and Peek warrants are another provision of the Patriot Act that not only doesn't protect Americans from terrorism but instead diminishes their rights. Sneak and Peek warrants allow law enforcement agencies to break into a suspected terrorists' home while they are not there, go through their things, take pictures, and seize property, all with no warning or even post notification.
The USA Patriot Act was passed hastily by Congressmen who never received the chance to fully read, understand, or analyze it. It was pressured into enactment by the Bush Administration in times of hysteria and fear. Not only is the Patriot Act unconstitutional but many of its provisions do nothing at all to protect Americans from the dangers of terrorism.

 

[Eg.]

well the first thing people have to be eduacted on, is that the actions the patriot act states have been going on for a long while. so it just puts into writing what hase been going on for decades.

secondly, ur rights are not hampered by this now that u know they have been going on for as long as u have been alive. u ve grown up with these actions and didnt even know it.

3rdly these actions only apply to those that are likely to blow u up ie, crazy terrorists. i wouldnt mind the FBI asking me what im doing with a chemistry book in a library, because im not like Fazil and looking up how to make a bomb (along with fertilizer books and ametuer electrical work) they would ingore me and look after him, and if he is innocent, they let him go.

now these laws keep you safe, moreso alive. so signing a petiton against it is like saying "no, i dont want the Gov to use sightly unamerican ways to make sure i saty alive"

in a nuttshell

everyone and thing has been montitered, even this post. the only thing that makes this catch the govs eye is if we are saying death to america

 

[JackelPDW]

What are your sources? It seems like you just kind of read Micheal Moore's books, and then went to write a paper summarizing it.

 

[Eg.]

actually what he wrote is pretty much truth, its just been going on for so long seeing it on paper is freaking people out for no reason

 

[Absinthe]

actually what he wrote is pretty much truth, its just been going on for so long seeing it on paper is freaking people out for no reason

It's been going on for so long.

Now that it's on paper, people can now justify their anger. That's reason enough, seeing as how not every body is a die-hard political debater.

 

[Spartan]

3rdly these actions only apply to those that are likely to blow u up ie, crazy terrorists. i wouldnt mind the FBI asking me what im doing with a chemistry book in a library, because im not like Fazil and looking up how to make a bomb (along with fertilizer books and ametuer electrical work) they would ingore me and look after him, and if he is innocent, they let him go.

Law like that are designed to bring the world a bit closer to 1984. Their only purpose is to control and manipulate people while feeding them BS about making everyone safer. Apparently you bought into it.

 

[Bodacious]

The terrible events of September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 have brought fear into the homes of the American people. Merely 6 weeks after the tragic event, the Bush Administration took advantage of the distraction and the hysteria to sneak by new legislation.

So congress had nothing to do with it? Just for good grade's sake put in this section " The Bush Administration and The US Congress..." If you are going to blame someone spread the blame equally.

This new legislation is the USA Patriot Act. The USA Patriot Act is excessive, unconstitutional, oppressive, and very dangerous to the rights of Americans. The basic effects of the USA Patriot Act include: that it expands terrorism laws to include domestic terrorism, which could subject political organizations to surveillance, wiretapping, harassment, and criminal action for political advocacy; it expands the ability of law enforcement to conduct secret searches, gives them wide powers of phone and internet surveillance, and access to highly personal medical, financial, mental health, and student records with minimal judicial oversight; it allows FBI Agents to investigate American citizens for criminal matters without probable cause of crime if they say it is for intelligence purposes; lastly, the act permits non-citizens to be jailed based on mere suspicion and to be denied re-admission to the US for engaging in free speech. Suspects convicted of no crime may be detained indefinitely in six month increments without meaningful judicial review.

This paragraph is going to give you failing grad for sure. Instead of all the ; make a new sentence. And instead of "it" say, The act or the patriot act of the law. "It" will get you counted off.

Second, you make a lot of accusations without backing them up. Of all of those things you listed I have to take your word for. (Persoanlly I don't believe 'cause half of that is crap. If you take the time to research this stuff you will find out those are lies) Because you have no credibility, meaning you didn't write the bill, you have no authority when it comes to the legislative process, etec, you need to back up your accusations with fact. In ohter words, show where in the patriot act it says all this stuff. ( you can't because half that stuff is wrong)

The USA Patriot Act was established for the sole purpose of protecting America from further terrorist attacks. However the Patriot Act targets not terrorists, but rather the American people which it intended to protect. By greatly reducing judicial oversight in terrorist related matters, the executive branch has received a great addition of undeserved power. This goes directly against the system of Checks and Balances. The Patriot Act goes beyond destroying the core basis of American government, to strip Americans from their constitutionally guaranteed rights. The Patriot Act violates the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments.

Again, these are just accusations. You need to back them up with facts and examples. Show the reader how all of these ammendments are violated. (They aren't)

Under the Patriot Act, once Attorney General John Ashcroft has certified that an alien is a terrorist or a threat to national security, the Immigration and Naturalization Service may detain that person without indictment for seven days before it brings any immigration or criminal charges. Furthermore, the government, once it has certified someone as a terrorist or threat to national security under the seven-day holding provision, can detain the person indefinitely on nothing more than a visa violation. This completely goes against innocent until proven guilty and allows for officials to arrest, and then build a case, needing no more legitimacy then a minimal criminal action which could be completely unrelated to terrorism. The seven-day holding provision alone breaks the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments, yet there's more.

More baseless accusations here. Back all this stuff up.

The Patriot Act allows enhanced ability to track email and internet usage, conduct searches without notification, obtain sensitive personal records, monitor financial transactions, and conduct nationwide random wiretaps. It permits law enforcement agencies to ignore the Fourth Amendments requirement of probable cause when conducting investigations of “significant purpose.” The Patriot Act also allows for the sharing of information between criminal and intelligence operations, providing the CIA with the ability of domestic spying. Criminal investigations have always been kept separate from foreign intelligence investigations for the reason that foreign intelligence agencies are not forced to provide the same constitutional rights that must be provided in criminal investigations. By removing the boundary between criminal and foreign intelligence agencies, many of American constitutional protections are lost. Sneak and Peek warrants are another provision of the Patriot Act that not only doesn't protect Americans from terrorism but instead diminishes their rights. Sneak and Peek warrants allow law enforcement agencies to break into a suspected terrorists' home while they are not there, go through their things, take pictures, and seize property, all with no warning or even post notification.

More baselss acusations here.

The USA Patriot Act was passed hastily by Congressmen who never received the chance to fully read, understand, or analyze it. It was pressured into enactment by the Bush Administration in times of hysteria and fear. Not only is the Patriot Act unconstitutional but many of its provisions do nothing at all to protect Americans from the dangers of terrorism.

All of this is baseless as well.


Your entire paper is baseless. I have no reason to take your word for it. You never once tell why you disagree with it, all there is is baseless accusations.

Provide some sources, page numbers wehre the patriot act does all these terrible things.

 

[Spartan]

Ironically, Bodacious' entire reply is equally baseless.

 

[Absinthe]

Ironically, Bodacious' entire reply is equally baseless.

Very true.

 

[Bodacious]

Ironically, Bodacious' entire reply is equally baseless.

Good job throwing around accusations and not proving anything. You think he is gonna get a good grade? Yah right.