You make a good point which I think conservatives should ponder.
Suppose, Janet Reno were Attorney General.
She would use the 'patriot act' against those favor freedom, truth and justice.
So far the government has acted pretty moderately with its powers.
However, remember a sociopath like Reno could abuse those powers.
So, while we need to improve or intelligence operations to detect terrorists and have well trained and equiped forces to deal with terrorist, we do NOT need a police state!
What is interesting is that 39 people read the thread and that only a very few bothered to reply as it is just a terrible law. Whether your Republican, democrat or support third parites i think we all agree that this law is a serious one that must be re-considered.
If this did happen before the patriot act i think what concerns alot of us is that it has been used on regular Americans. For instance, in Montana a FBI agent broke into someone's house and the owner shot him. The guy who shot him got arrested and thankfully the NRA bailed him out.
In North Carolina, a women came home from work to discover that all her anti-bush signs had been taken. She phoned the police and they told her that she wasn't allowed to display them as it affected the community. She went to the media and the signs were returned by the end of the week.
This is why people are concerned with it. If they can break into the typical American home then why can't it be you next?
I thank Jake, modu and bullmoose for making a case.
