Close Topic Options

Patriot Act

The following is from Source 6 in which the author creates a comparison of the US Patriot Act and the German Enabling Act. What do you think about the comparison?

---

Congress will soon be asked to renew the Patriot Act with the inclusion of further restrictions on our liberty, restrictions which were originally to be introduced as Patriot Act II.

"Why did the German people not act ?"

Patriot Act vs, German Enabling Act:

The Decrees of 1933

(a) The February 28 Decree. One of the most repressive acts of the new Nazi government, this one allowed for the suspension of civil liberties ....The president was persuaded that the state was in danger and, hence, that the emergency measures embodied in the decree were necessary. Even though under Art. 48 of the constitution, the decree would have been withdrawn once the so-called
emergency had passed, any hope of this happening was prevented by the establishment of Hitler's dictatorship following the Enabling Act (see below). It was in fact never withdrawn and remained until the end as an instrument of Nazi terror against ordinary citizens who ran foul of the regime.

ARTICLE 1. In virtue of paragraph 2, article 48,* of the German Constitution, the following is decreed as a defensive measure against communist acts of violence , endangering the state:

Sections 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124, and 153 of the Constitution of the German Reich are suspended until further notice. Thus, restrictions on personal liberty [114], on the right of free expression of opinion, including freedom of the press [118], on the right of assembly and the right of association [124], and violations of the privacy of postal, telegraphic, and telephonic communications [117], and warrants for house-searches [115], orders for confiscation as well as restrictions on property [153], are also permissible beyond the legal limits otherwise prescribed.

*Article 48 of the German Constitution of August 11, 1919: If public safety and order in Germany are materially disturbed or endangered, the President may take the necessary measures to restore public safety and order, and, if necessary, to intervene with the help of the armed forces. To this end he may temporarily suspend, in whole or in part, the fundamental rights established in

Articles 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124, and 153 .....

Patriot Act:

3.. Section 218 which amends the "probable cause" requirement before conducting secret searches or surveillance to obtain evidence of a crime;

4.. Sections 215, 218, 358, and 508 which permit law enforcement authorities to have broad access to sensitive mental health, library, business, financial, and educational records despite the existence of previously adopted state and federal laws which were intended to strengthen the protection of these types of records;

5.. Sections 411 and 412 which give the Secretary of State broad powers to designate domestic groups as "terrorist organizations" and the Attorney General power to subject immigrants to indefinite detention or deportation even if no crime has been committed; and

6.. Sections 507 and 508 which impose a mandate on state and local public universities who must collect information on students that may be of interest to the Attorney General.
Ref. Snipurl.com/ayzc

Act Patriot

I have very mixed feelings and thoughts about the USA PATRIOT ACT. In some ways, it actually puts some restrictions on law enforcement and intelligence that was needed, but in other ways it enables both. The main thing it does, as I understand it, is to give intelligence agencies some of the same tools that law enforcement already had - along with the same restrictions.

I have read some analyses of it, both pro and con. It has been some very interesting reading.

The biggest difference that I know of between the two documents is that the USA PATRIOT ACT actually has time limits on many of the most controversial portions. It is not enacted for the duration of the emergency, but for a specific number of years.

Patriot Act History & Civil Business Politics

House votes to limit Patriot Act rules on library records

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House voted Wednesday to block the FBI and the Justice Department from using the anti-terror Patriot Act to search library and bookstore records, responding to complaints about potential invasion of privacy of innocent readers.

Despite a veto threat from President Bush, lawmakers voted 238-187 to block the part of the anti-terrorism law that allows the government to investigate the reading habits of terror suspects.
Ref. https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/20...riot-vote_x.htm

Act Patriot

HOUSE EXTENDS ANTI-TERROR LAW

The House voted Thursday to extend permanently virtually all the major anti-terrorism provisions of the USA Patriot Act after beating back efforts by Democrats and some Republicans to impose new restrictions on the government's power to eavesdrop, conduct secret searches and demand library records.
Ref. https://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C.50327%2C00.html

Act Patriot

TENTATIVE DEAL ON PATRIOT ACT TEETERS

A tentative agreement to renew the Patriot Act this week teetered late Wednesday without explicit support of the lead Senate negotiator, as Democrats complained that the draft wouldn't sufficiently curb the FBI's power to probe the most private aspects of people's lives.
Ref. https://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/16/pat...t.ap/index.html

Patriot Act

EDITORIAL: PATRIOT ACT CONCERNS

Unless the Patriot Act is stripped of its most dangerous parts, made more accountable and given another expiration date, Congress should not renew it. Debates may rage forever as to whether the act has stopped terrorists from penetrating U.S. shores since 9/11, but Americans can't afford to give away precious freedoms for a conflict that likely never will end.
Ref. https://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C...62010%2C00.html

Patriot Act

SENATE BLOCKS PATRIOT ACT

President Bush's war on terrorism suffered a double blow on Friday when the Senate blocked renewal of the Patriot Act and a key Republican said he would hold hearings on reports that the president authorized government officials to eavesdrop on Americans.
Ref. https://deseretnews.com

Patriot Act Politics Business Civil & History

Well it seems that the USA does not mind having their freedoms put on hold for the sake of 'security'. I wonder if that really is the feeling of the general populace?