Discussion:
Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Bush administration drafted and Congress passed into law the USA PATRIOT Act (Uniting and Strengthening America by giving Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001). The law subsequently was reenacted with minor changes by Congress and the President in March 2006 and was again reviewed by Congress in 2011. The law increased the government's access to individuals' personal information and severely restricted the legal rights of suspected terrorists. It allows government agents to conduct certain searches without probable cause and expanded the use of the "national security letter," which is a type of administrative subpoena, or demand for evidence. The FBI used these letters nearly 150,000 times between 2004 and 2007 to obtain personal information from entities such as banks and telephone companies although certain safeguards have been instituted in an effort to protect citizens. The government claims that strict rules and interagency firewalls are in place to protect American's individual, constitutional rights, and that the authorities granted in the law are ultimately necessary to protect Americans from a new kind of threat never envisioned by our forefathers. Further, the collection of information and the methods used enabled by the PATRIOT Act provide the opportunity for the U.S. to conduct pre-emptive strikes.
Some argue that if you have nothing to hide, you should have no fear of governmental investigations. Others disagree and say such "snooping" violates the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution and that there is insufficient justification for the restriction of our civil liberties. Many have asserted that the use of these measures have directly lead to actionable intelligence to capture or kill terrorists domestically and overseas, while others still feel that the simple existence of the law serves as a deterrent to future terrorists because they know their phone and email records are easily traceable.
Do you believe the USA PATRIOT Act is a useful tool in combating terrorism, or does it violate our Civil Liberties? Why or why not? Be sure to fully explain your reasoning using facts and/or examples to bolster your argument.