Patriot Act Essay Example for Free

patriot sham EssayAn forge was created in the dark days following the terrorist attacks against the get together States on September 11, 2001. It was created to allow the agencies of law enforcement and intelligence to have more authority in localise to prevent any future attacks by terrorists on the unite States. Additionally, it made available monitoring tools inside the United States to aggressively address the Bush administrations domestic war on terrorism. The draft title of the twist was Uniting and Strengthening the States by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism run of 2001. However, today it is better known as the USA patriot Act. The Patriot Act was responsible for drastic changes in over 15 important government and constitutional statues. All which lead to the increase top executive of the government and law enforcement to secretly monitor, conduct surveillance, and investigate anyone at anytime. Previous to September 11, 20 01 there were several(prenominal)(prenominal) attempts by the Republican Party to allow for the electronic surveillance of citizens within the United States however these comestible were highly criticized as being anti-constitutional and therefore anti-American.It was this atomic number 53 numeral of terrorism which promoted Congress to tear apart the rights granted to e real citizen in the United States Constitution and allow the rights of privacy to be completely subordinated. When asked why, congressional officials always cite the 9/11 terrorists attacks. Even the former White Ho ingestion stern Podesta challenged their decisions stating that the scourge events of 9/11 emotionally pressured the members of Congress to agree to allow new legal implements to help run the terrorists.He continues But we should not forget what gave rise to the original opposition- many aspects of the bill increase the fortune for law enforcement and the intelligence community to return to an er a where they monitored and sometimes harassed individuals who were merely exercising their archetypal Amendment rights. After the establishment of the specific content of the Patriot Act, congress was apt(p) plainly a single week to pass the act. John Ashcroft not only had a time limit but too required there would be absolutely no changes to the act.Several congressman headed by the the Vermonts Patrick Leahy did convince the plane section of Justice to make some changes and piecemeal members of Congress worked together and improvements were made. The process was not fast comme il faut for John Ashcroft and he pressured Congress and the public by repeatedly warning that additional terrorists attacks were upon the United States and only Congress had the power to stop them by passing the Patriot Act. At that point all the revisions to the act were taken away and was passed. The Act was passed 35766 in the House of Representatives.President Bush signed the Patriot Act into law on 26 October, 2001. What is most(prenominal) baffling about the Patriot Act is very few people can in reality explain what the Patriot Act is and what is says. John Ashcroft on several occasions tried to explain exactly what the details of the Patriot Act is Prosecutors will seek discriminative authority to intercept communications related to an expanded list of terrorism-related crimes such as the development, possession, or use of chemical or biological weapons financial transaction with a terrorist government or providing material run to terrorists or terrorist organizations.Investigators will use roving wiretaps to intercept communications and thereby thwart the ability of terrorists to dodge surveillance by switching phones or communication devices. Investigators will now aggressively pursue terrorists on the internet. The legislation permits investigators to obtain senders and receivers e-mail addresses just as it is done with telephone surveillance. Terrorists employ sophisticated technologies to beleaguer detection and the legislation updates the law to the technology. Investigators will use search warrants to obtained unopened voice mail and e-mail. However, the most important parts of the Patriot Act were left out of his description. Under the stipulations of the act, obtaining warrants are much easier. It in like manner approves unspecified search warrants to be used without notification. These particular components are in direct contrast to those given to all citizens in the Fourth Amendment which gives protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. The the real power the Patriot Act is in the subpoena. This allows the authorities to search and find credit card and bank account information of any venture terrorists on the world wide web.This will allow investigators to identify the terrorist who hides behind a fictitious internet name. The question remains how does the government determine who is a potential terrorist or not- c ould it be you or me? The righteousness is there is no defined methodology. Therefore, this allows the FBI to indian lodge anyoneto turn over anythingfor anyreason. These pieces of information can accept library records, medical records, business records, emails, and student information. This is legal as long as the FBI believes the information will help in an authorized investigation.This is extremely vague and all inclusive. This is a clear impact of privacy rights outlined in the Constitution. The Patriot Act continues that only a single courtroom order is needed to do a communication search that is world wide. Under normal circumstances the court order is only effective in the judicial district it was initiated in. It continues Law enforcement and intelligence committees will share information on terrorist activities and thus better coordinate their efforts to prevent terrorism. It is obvious that the Patriot Act is actually a secret tool which can be used against terrorism but can overly be used anytime against anyone the government feels necessary. Mark Corallo of the Department of Justice, was quoted as saying The Patriot Act was not meant to be just for terrorism. An article in Newsweek has reported that the government had used the provisions set up in the Patriot Act, to investigate 1000 people who have had absolutely no terrorisms connection. Many critics bleed a comparisons to Orwells 1984 in which the ecumenic public was constantly monitored.Tampering with the founding document of the United States is a bad idea and no matter how many times the President of the United States states that The Patriot Act defends our liberty, it solely is not true. Benjamin Franklin, a great American thinker, said decades ago Those who are spontaneous to give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety be neither liberty nor safety. By passing and using the Patriot Act we are giving up our liberty for safety and in this case pseudo it is safet y. The Patriot Act allows the government to treat either citizens as a potential terrorist.Based on that idea the government has the legal ability to question, search, and abide anyone. In recent months the Patriot Act has been renewed temporarily. However, it is clear that both members of Congress and the general creation have lost faith and confidence in George Bush in his actions and words. There are a number of outspoken critics of the Patriot Act including the American Civil Liberties Union who believed that the Act gives the attorney general and federal law enforcement unnecessary and permanent new powers to violate civil liberties and these infringements go way beyond those necessary for fighting terrorism.Many congressional officials who voted for the act in 2001 believe they made a mistake. John Kerry has been extremely open of his opinion that the Patriot Act was misrepresented and misused by the government. To be passed again, the Patriot Act must have substantial cha nges which will restore those rights granted to all American citizens. In fact there are almost no supporters of the Patriot Act as is, excluding those directly mingled the Bush Administration.The governmentally run site which lists the reasons why the Patriot Act is beneficial lists the reasons why the act improves counter-terrorism efforts. They list four reasons including the following the ability to readily investigate organized crime and the trafficking of drugs, allows information to be shared between governmental intelligence agencies, addresses new technology which is used in potential terrorist organizations, and increased the criminal punishment for terrorist activities.They also had the audacity to include on their web pages quotes of the Declaration of Independence as support for the the constitutionally debilitating provisions of the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act not only contradicts the United States Constitution but makes a mockery of the the hard work our founding f athers did to secure liberties for all of America and its citizens. By enacting into law our governmental officials took way our unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.Our actions in the passing of the Patriot Act, the mistreatment of those who simply look like terrorists, and our self righteous behavior abroad in Iraq supports the idea that the United States is gradually becoming what killed all those people on September 11th, 2001 a terrorist nation. And how long will the world face and placidly watch America reek the same devastation worldwide?