Lack of Patriot Act hurts the UK

[Rearden]

You are by far one of the largest sources of party based ignorance in this forum (well... aside from Dead). The UK set up numerous camera systems in public locations during the IRA years... if that didnt help how will a law that allows the government to check your library list help? I'd like you to explain exactly how the USA Patriot act will confound terrorists from striking the US ever again and will prevent a determined, well funded, and oh yeah "willing to die to accomplish their mission" group from harming American citizens. Or, while youre doing federally monitored research at your local library, find a situation where tighter social controls do anything but harm society (in that I mean stop all of the terrorist/rebel/partisan/random small dedicated group attacks) [this from a party that stands for individual rights].

PS: I'm a registered Republican; no need to try calling me a liberal and attempt to dodge the responsibility you've staked out by claiming that the Patriot act saves lives.

[bobman0330]

Do any of you people actually know what's in the PATRIOT act? I mean, good lord, someone posted a wikipedia link right there.

Are you seriously concerned that they're going to look at your library records just to oppress you for reading romance novels or playboy or whatever the hell it is you're concerned about?

It's not as if they'd have to:
A. Go before a federal court.
B. Show probable cause.
C. If they didn't want to notify you immediately, they'd have to show extenuating circumstances to delay notification. Then they'd have to notify you 90 days later.

I for one sure feel oppressed. Now quit making up these BS scenarios, and look at what the act is really for:

Suspected terrorist Mahmoud ibn Kalir (made-up Arab-sounding name) is living in the US, getting money from mysterious overseas Islamic charities, and talking to neighbors about "big things" that are going down soon. This is not a crime, so the FBI gets a wiretap (shockingly, this is a temporarily secret proceeding). He tells his overseas Islamic charity pals that he was reading books from the library about the "big thing" that's going down soon. None of this is evidence of a crime, so they look through his library records and see that he's recently checked out "High Explosives and You" and "Structual Weak Points of Tall Buildings." Fortunately, the PATRIOT act was repealed, so they send him a letter. "Mr. ibn Kalir: We recently searched your library records. Don't be concerned. Love, The FBI" Does this sound good to you?