I'm Looking for "Patriot Act" Success Stories

[PureSolace]

All week long I've been talking with other students at the school I go to about the pros and cons of the Patriot Act, and I was wondering if any freepers had any information to contribute. Does anyone have a list of success stories or embarrassments because of the Patriot Act? From the searches that I've done it seems most of the websites on the net are anti Patriot Act because they say it can be abused and target regular everyday citizens, and even peaceful protesters? (That one baffled me) Anyway, Any information or insight you guys can give would be wonderful. Thanks :)

[VaBthang4]

0 [zero] Terrorists attacks in the United States since September 11th, 2001.

Surely nobody would pretend that none were in the works.

[FreeInWV]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/982317/posts

[JohnGalt]

"Those who are
willing to trade civil liberties for temporary security, deserve neither."

---Ben Franklin

[Grut]

0 [zero] Terrorists attacks in the United States since September 11th, 2001.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc.

Let's see a specific case where a terrorist attack was prevented by applying a specific provision of the Patriot Act, and where absent that provision the attack would have happened.

[freeeee]

most of the websites on the net are anti Patriot Act because they say it can be abused and target regular everyday citizens, and even peaceful protesters? (That one baffled me)

Here's a great PA "success" story, where our brave and honest government defended us from terrorism, well no, according to the article it wasn't remotely related to terrorism. Hmmm, maybe the suspects were violent and dangerous. Well no, there was no violence involved. Turns out they were allegedly white collar criminals laundering money from a strip club. I'm sure that's what the PA was intended for. And we're a whole lot safer now, by golly.

Patriot Act Used in Strip Club Corruption Probe

[VaBthang4]

There were 3 million people running around the I95 corridor when ol'Ben was around...and I dont recall anyone zipping jetliners into 110 story skyscrapers either.

I can make all kinds of eloquent quotes that disregard today's reality.

[VaBthang4]

'Ignorant' hoc ergo 'reality' hoc.

Show me one that wasnt.

Hoc that.

[JohnGalt]

Like a liberal, you believe that wisdom of the forefathers is 'living,' I guess.

[VaBthang4]

Might as well drop this one here...cause I feel it coming on...

[Steel Wolf]

We have a saying in my line of work, but it probably applies here too.

There are no intelligence successes.

There are only only operational successes, and intelligence failures.

So, just because nothing is happening that we know about, from an intel standpoint there's no way to prove things are going well. Maybe we're doing enough, maybe we aren't. The only definite situation is when things have gone wrong.

[leadpencil1]

Have you read through the act yourself?

http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html

[dead]

0 [zero] Terrorists attacks in the United States since September 11th, 2001.

What about the LA airport shooting?

What about the anthrax mailings?

What about the DC sniper?

[Guillermo]

Should we get rid of airport metal detectors because we're giving up some liberty for temporary security?

[VaBthang4]

Yawn...

Grow up cheesedoodle. The ahem...quote...you cited isnt part of the US Constitution.

Nice red herring....well, actually not.

[Guillermo]

Maybe he meant large-scale attacks, as opposed to free-lance.

[Protagoras]

0 [zero] Terrorists attacks in the United States since September 11th, 2001.

Zero Elephants in my back yard. The fence really keeps 'em out.

Now some successes please.

[VaBthang4]

Oi Vey...

You put a fence up around your backyard in order to keep elephants out?

[Liberal Classic]

Here's an interesting article:

FBI says Patriot Act used in Vegas strip club corruption probe

_{ASSOCIATED PRESS}

LAS VEGAS (AP) - The FBI used the USA Patriot Act to obtain financial information about key figures in a political corruption probe centered on striptease club owner Michael Galardi, an agent said.

Investigators used a section of the Patriot Act to get subpoenas for financial documents, said Special Agent Jim Stern, a spokesman for the Las Vegas FBI office.

"It was used appropriately by the FBI and was clearly within the legal parameters of the statute," Stern said.

[steve-b]

0 [zero] Terrorists attacks in the United States since September 11th, 2001.

I'll sell you my anti-tiger amulet for $50. You know it works, because I haven't encountered a single tiger since I started wearing it.