Civil liberties at risk: Congress should carefully weigh Patriot Act's impacts

Herald Tribune
Oct. 24, 2005

Both houses of Congress are expected to soon reapprove the controversial USA Patriot Act, which became law on an emergency basis soon after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Americans should be concerned about the effect that a permanent Patriot Act would have on their civil liberties.

Reapproving the Patriot Act without significant changes would result in "an enduring shift of power" to the executive branch of government and "less privacy and liberty for all," said Chip Pitts in Friday's online edition of The Nation magazine.

Hyperbole from the left? Unfortunately, no.

On Thursday, members of the former 9/11 Commission held a press conference to criticize the Bush administration and government agencies for making too little progress in implementing the recommendations in last year's 9/11 Commission Report.

The commissioners faulted the Bush administration for giving only "lip service" to the panel's call for creation of an oversight board to monitor whether civil liberties are being protected. The White House named a board, but it has no chairman. The commissioners described the board as underfunded and toothless.

Meanwhile, the Patriot Act allows federal agents to engage in largely unchecked surveillance and other invasions of privacy.

Before reapproving the Patriot Act, the Congress should consider carefully whether federal actions loosely aimed at terrorist suspects are eroding civil liberties.

Enemies of the nation will score a victory if Americans are forced by their own government to give up constitutional rights.