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Politics : Just the Facts, Ma'am: A Compendium of Liberal Fiction -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lazarus_Long who wrote (11086)	7/9/2004 8:39:27 PM
From: Sully-	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 90947

The Patriot Act has a sunset provision. Unfortunately, the WOT will not be over when the provision is set to expire IMO. Hopefully our elected leaders will do the right thing & extend it if it is still needed to win the WOT. _________________________________________________________ Groups set to spar over Patriot Act's future The next year will be critical for both supporters and opponents of the Patriot Act, as legislators decide which of the Act's measures to keep and which to scrap. When the act was passed on Oct. 26, 2001, many of the controversial portions were made subject to a sunset provision. Many of the surveillance powers -- including the authority to search library records -- will expire on Dec. 31, 2005, unless Congress approves an extension. Legislators are cagey about whether they will approve the extension. On one hand the backlash against the Patriot Act is gaining momentum. "In the last 10 years, the growth of power in the government that focuses on surveillance has grown at a rate much faster than provisions put into place to assure protections from abuse," said Fitzpatrick, the Centenary College political science professor. "That's kind of where we stand, which is what makes people nervous." But legislators also know the country must not wallow in debate and dissent, because that's exactly what terrorists want. "Most of your terrorist leadership has higher-level university degrees," Fitzpatrick said. "They know how to strain democracy. We have to keep in mind it is going to be difficult to fight the terrorist strategy and not become divided and quarrel among ourselves and spend more energy and time on that than fighting the terrorists." Hunterdon County Prosecutor Patrick Barnes calls it a "fascinating time" to be an American. "How do we reconcile these two twin desires, the desire to be free and the desire to be safe?" Barnes asked. "The Patriot Act is another test in that process. It's a pretty fascinating time to be here and be part of these decisions which may forever change the way we view law enforcement." Reporter Rudy Miller can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at rmiller@express-times.com. nj.com