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===Civil Liberties=== |
===Civil Liberties=== |
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− | Critics of the "Patriot" act take issue with powers granted by the act that have no defined limits. Such open ended powers allow abuse by individuals working in the government and to do so even for self serving purposes or towards amassing further powers. |
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− | ====Specific examples of contested powers==== |
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− | The Fourth [http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html Amendment to the US Constitution] establishes ... |
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− | :''The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.'' |
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− | =====The "National Security Letter"===== |
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− | :Within the Patriot Act is a “National Security Letter” provision that authorizes the FBI to demand records without prior court approval. Anyone who receives an NSL is forbidden, or “gagged,” from telling anyone about the record demand. |
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− | :Since the Patriot Act was authorized in 2001, it has relaxed restrictions on the FBI’s use of the power, and the number of NSLs issued has seen a hundred-fold increase to 30,000 annually. |
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− | :Without appropriate checks on law enforcement, the FBI and other government agencies retain the power to seek the personal records of ordinary Americans. NSL secrecy rules deny our leaders and all Americans critical firsthand information that could, and should, influence the public debate on the Patriot Act and the NSL authority itself. [http://www.aclu.org/safefree/nationalsecurityletters/index.html Source - ACLU] |
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− | The First [http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html Amendment to the US Constitution] establishes that ... |
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− | :''Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to ... petition the Government for a redress of grievances. |
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− | '' |
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==General Discussion== |
==General Discussion== |