Well, thank to a sharp poster named CountryGirl, I was able to get a copy of the Patriot Act. Much of it is legalese gooble-de-gook. But here are a couple of choice gems:
(Sec. 211) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to permit specified disclosures to Government entities, except for records revealing cable subscriber selection of video programming from a cable operator.
Whew!!! Our government is not interested if we, our those involved in terrorism living among us, watch dirty movies, like Deep Throat. Mmmmmm. Thank Gawd!!!
(Sec. 212) Permits electronic communication and remote computing service providers to make emergency disclosures to a governmental entity of customer electronic communications to protect life and limb.
This is good! I certainly want my 911 electronic communication (phone call) to be handed over to a governmental entity (fire department) when my house is burning down, to protect my life and that of my neightbor. I am so pleased the Government felt it needed to give itself such permission.
(Sec. 213) Authorizes Federal district courts to allow a delay of required notices of the execution of a warrant if immediate notice may have an adverse result and under other specified circumstances.
Bad! Okay, yes, Al Qaeda, or Hamas, or other terror operatives in the USA might run in the event they learn that the Government is on their trail ... but ... come on ... we don't have to muck around with this process.
(Sec. 224) Terminates this title on December 31, 2005, except with respect to any particular foreign intelligence investigation beginning before that date, or any particular offense or potential offense that began or occurred before it.
YEA !!! GOOD!!! This Act has a limited life. May our Congress let it die.
(Sec. 314) ... Requires the Secretary to distribute annually to financial institutions a detailed analysis identifying patterns of suspicious activity and other investigative insights derived from suspicious activity reports and investigations by Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies.
This means that Big Brother is watching YOU !!! Keep your nose clean, lest every Government agency gets a report on you.
(Sec. 358) ... Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to require a consumer reporting agency to furnish all information in a consumer's file to a government agency upon certification that the records are relevant to intelligence or counterintelligence activities related to international terrorism.
Warning to terrorists! Don't screw up on your bills, lest we come and get you. Pay your bills on time, and our Government will not get its panties up in a wad!
(Sec. 412) Provides for mandatory detention until removal from the United States (regardless of any relief from removal) of an alien certified by the Attorney General as a suspected terrorist or threat to national security. Requires release of such alien after seven days if removal proceedings have not commenced, or the alien has not been charged with a criminal offense. Authorizes detention for additional periods of up to six months of an alien not likely to be deported in the reasonably foreseeable future only if release will threaten U.S. national security or the safety of the community or any person. Limits judicial review to habeas corpus proceedings in the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, or any district court with jurisdiction to entertain a habeas corpus petition. Restricts to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia the right of appeal of any final order by a circuit or district judge.
Ahhhh !!! THE UGLY !!! Yes. If our government thinks you are bad, then you are really bad and we have all kinds of new tools to keep you in detention until we feel like letting you go ... if ever.
There is much more to the Patroit Act. Most of it seems remote to average American life ... not really applicable to any of us directly. Most of the act does enable the Government to go after terrorists in necessary ways ... getting at the money, and monitoring them. But, I am against giving any more power to the Attorney General or other Government departments and agencies. Rather, I hope that we the people get involved to limit or see to it that this act terminates by 12/31/05 as specified.