Comments on: Patriot Renewal http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/patriot_renewal/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:50:58 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Mud Blood & Beer http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/patriot_renewal/comment-page-1/#comment-15500 Mud Blood & Beer Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=5829#comment-15500 "It is also clear that some provisions of the Patriot Act have infringed upon civil liberties with virtually no increase in security." How is this at all clear? I have yet to see any evidence of a single infringement upon civil liberties that can be properly attributed to the Patriot Act. "It is also clear that some provisions of the Patriot Act have infringed upon civil liberties with virtually no increase in security."

How is this at all clear? I have yet to see any evidence of a single infringement upon civil liberties that can be properly attributed to the Patriot Act.

]]> By: Esquire http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/patriot_renewal/comment-page-1/#comment-15501 Esquire Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=5829#comment-15501 "Nothing is more important than preventing another catastrophic terrorist attack on Americans. Nothing." Beg to differ. Our individual freedoms are more important than this. And large sections of the Patriot Act infringe upon those freedoms -- needlessly and with little or no enhancement of our national security. I know of which I speak. I am an attorney who deals daily with certain of the financially oriented provisions that require secret reports to government agencies, unknown to customers... these provisions are, among other things, vague, overbroad, and likely an unconstitutional delegation of governmental duty to private financial institutions. We have a mighty nation of 300 million people. We lose a couple thousand and we cower in fear, ready to shred the Bill of Rights? Yes, take prudent safeguards. But let's avoid the police state. Jefferson had a comment on such cowardice: "A society that will trade a little order for a little freedom will lose both, and deserve neither." --- "Nothing is more important than preventing another catastrophic terrorist attack on Americans. Nothing."

Beg to differ.

Our individual freedoms are more important than this. And large sections of the Patriot Act infringe upon those freedoms -- needlessly and with little or no enhancement of our national security.

I know of which I speak. I am an attorney who deals daily with certain of the financially oriented provisions that require secret reports to government agencies, unknown to customers... these provisions are, among other things, vague, overbroad, and likely an unconstitutional delegation of governmental duty to private financial institutions.

We have a mighty nation of 300 million people. We lose a couple thousand and we cower in fear, ready to shred the Bill of Rights?

Yes, take prudent safeguards. But let's avoid the police state.

Jefferson had a comment on such cowardice: "A society that will trade a little order for a little freedom will lose both, and deserve neither."

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