Expert: Michael Troy - 2/18/2010

Question
Is the patriot act a good law?

Answer
I suppose whether one considers it good law to be a matter of opinion.  The law was passed shortly after the attacks of 9/11 and was designed to make it easier for the government to acquire information.  Civil libertarians have criticized the law because it allows the government to search people for whom there is no evidence they have done anything wrong.  Much of the public often confuses the Patriot Act with some of the Actions taken by the Bush Administration involving torture and wire-tapping.  Most of those actions were never authorized by any law and were never a part of the Patriot Act.

My personal view, as someone who largely distrusts larger and more intrusive government is that while a few parts of the Act were sensible improvements.  Much of the powers taken by the government are unreasonable and unconstitutional.

- Mike