>>Read the Patriot Act.<<
Typically, when people criticize the Patriot Act, it turns out that they believe it says things that it does not say.
I like to be helpful, and interpreting laws is something I can be helpful about.
So, if you want to tell me exactly what it is about the Patriot Act that you don't like, I can read the act and tell you whether it does say what you think it says.
Usually, people tell me that it allows for warrantless searches, which isn't accurate. It does allow for premises to be searched when they are unoccupied, without serving a warrant, for good cause shown, but the law enforcement officers cannot do it without a warrant, issued according to the age-old process of obtaining a warrant.
The Act does provide for a new-age way of handling warrants -- they can be electronically transmitted to other jurisdictions. Right now I believe a lot of warrants are coming out of the local federal court, the Eastern District of Virginia (Alexandria Division), because the Pentagon is here and it was one of the places attacked during 9/11.
The magistrates in that court are straight arrows. |
