# FBI, Patriot act **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 10, 2007, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329 "2007-03-10T00:10:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/21 "2007-03-12T17:25:58Z")
[QUOTE=Orbifold] That’s what they do. That’s all they do. [/QUOTE] The Bush Administration is made up of Terminators? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/22 "2007-03-12T18:15:58Z")
[QUOTE=if6was9] I know you’re a lwayer. You see grounds for overturning it? Or at least curbing it? [/QUOTE] I think it’s blatantly unconstitutional, and intended to bypass the Courts to allow the FBI and Homeland Security to do whatever the hell they want. It would take a successful appeal to strike it…and that would likely only strike a portion of it at the time. The thing that gives me some reason for optimism is now that the abuses have come to light, Congress may decide to repeal the act, or amend it in such a way to curb the worst of the abuses. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/23 "2007-03-12T18:25:49Z")
[QUOTE=Steve MB] Why, I’ll bet next you’re going to say that the nice Nigerian fellow isn’t really going to wire five million dollars into my bank account… [/QUOTE] Is that Nigerian fellow a Republican? If he is, of course you can trust him! Damned paranoid liberals… -Joe ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/24 "2007-03-12T19:37:15Z")
[QUOTE=Merijeek] …Damned paranoid liberals… [/QUOTE] Its not paranoid when you have real enemies. Powerful enemies. Who lurk in secret. Its worse when you’re enemies are stupid. Remember back, not long ago, when the tighty righties would chortle and cluck “Well, show me one case, just one! wherein our nations guardians have abrogated anyones civil rights…” What’s that noise a semi full of legal briefs makes when in backs up to the loading dock? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/25 "2007-03-12T22:32:13Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Remember back, not long ago, when the tighty righties would chortle and cluck “Well, show me one case, just one! wherein our nations guardians have abrogated anyones civil rights…” [/QUOTE] see, that’s still a problem. they said 'show me \*\* one\*\* case, and here you are wanting to show them thousands. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/26 "2007-03-12T22:54:13Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Its worse when you’re enemies are stupid. [/QUOTE] Shouldn’t it be **better** when your enemies are stupid? ---
**Author:** ![bannerrefugee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c68b51/32.png) [@bannerrefugee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bannerrefugee)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/27 "2007-03-13T03:10:13Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster] Congress may decide to repeal the act [/QUOTE] I don’t think this is likely at all. > [@](#): > > or amend it in such a way to curb the worst of the abuses. maybe ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/28 "2007-03-13T07:41:43Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Its not paranoid when you have real enemies. Powerful enemies. Who lurk in secret. Its worse when you’re enemies are stupid. Remember back, not long ago, when the tighty righties would chortle and cluck “Well, show me one case, just one! wherein our nations guardians have abrogated anyones civil rights…” What’s that noise a semi full of legal briefs makes when in backs up to the loading dock? [/QUOTE] Of course, if _Clinton_ had wanted such a thing when he was in power (say after the WTC bombing) the tighty righties would be screaming about how dangerous it was to allow Clinton to have such power. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/29 "2007-03-13T12:18:11Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Shouldn’t it be **better** when your enemies are stupid? [/QUOTE] Nope. Stupid people lack imagination. Imagination is necessary to avoid having to say, “Nobody could have predicted!”. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/30 "2007-03-13T12:44:57Z")
They say that the things that happen in the USA eventually happen over here. Thankfully I don’t think Britain’s own version of “Patriot” laws has been abused anywhere near as much. And the press (and public) lash out something rotten if it does happen. I pray to Og I’m right and they’re not just covering it up really really well. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/31 "2007-03-13T14:31:43Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Shouldn’t it be **better** when your enemies are stupid? [/QUOTE] If recent electoral history demonstrates anything, it’s that our allies are stupid too. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/32 "2007-03-13T15:40:57Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster] Oddly enough, I’m mildly optimistic here. This might be just what the Doctor ordered to cure the cancer otherwise known as the “Patriot Act”. Or at least send it into remission. [/QUOTE] AKA, “I know there’s a pony in here somewhere.” Sorry, the precedent has been set and the repression and snoopery pawl has just moved forward another notch. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/33 "2007-03-13T16:40:06Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Shouldn’t it be **better** when your enemies are stupid? [/QUOTE] I am reminded of Doyle Brunson, the Yoda of Hold 'em. “Never try to bluff an idiot.” ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329/34 "2007-03-13T16:45:16Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] I am reminded of Doyle Brunson, the Yoda of Hold 'em. “Never try to bluff an idiot.” [/QUOTE] If he’s the Yoda, shouldn’t he say, “Bluff an idiot, never try.”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-patriot-act/395329.md?page=1)