I can live with the Patriot Act as long as those laws are not made permanent..
They are only justified in the face of an imminent threat, and once that threat is ended, the Patriot Act must sunset...
Government does not willingly surrender such powers over the people..
Once you give permanent powers over your private papers, and activities, you will never get that privacy back..
Not without a massive fight, possibly a Civil War..
Might as well say never..
" Once you give permanent powers over your private papers, and activities, you will never get that privacy back.. "
Most people don't understand that. Just look at the recent shenanigans of the Miami Police and thier little project to stop everyone on the street and check their ID. The police chief said he wants to "shock and awe" the citizens. It sounds to me as if this gomer is mentally ill or just drunk on power.
What's more disturbing is that so many Freepers agree with this sort of activity. They just love to see people bend their necks in submission while shouting from the rooftops how free we are.
I'm not comfortable with the partial revocation of any of the Bill of Rights, sunset provision or not. As with CFR, if they want to partially revoke an Amendment, they can do so by either passing a new Constitutional Amendment or by declaring martial law. That's it.
"I can live with the Patriot Act as long as those laws are not made permanent..
They are only justified in the face of an imminent threat, and once that threat is ended, the Patriot Act must sunset..."
WTC I to WTC II spanned eight years (1993 - 2001).
Munich Olympics to London Busses spanned 33 years (1972 - 2005).
It all depends on the meaning of "imminent threat." Many of us have come to the opinion that islam is an "imminent threat."
Concerning the Patriot Act--there have not been any significant abuses.