Quote:
Originally posted by Timber Loftis:
To follow up, the statement of what "can now" happen is "as the law stands now" under the statute -- courts holding the statute or parts of it unconstitutional will of course change that.
Along the same vein, the recent case in San Francisco is being appealed, and the people in question in that case are still under lock and key, without access to lawyers, phones, or family, pending appeal. The government has stated its complete confidence it will win.
We don't HAVE to do things this way. Government in secret is never good, because anything that can turn bad without our knowing it or can be held unaccountable despite common sense will sooner or later abuse those privileges. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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No arguement here about a government is secret, but as far as I can tell, who the USA President is is not a secret, Congress doesn't meet in secret, with the execptions of authorized National security issues. Now there does seem to be a secret court, BUT from what I can tell it has existed for alot longer then the Patriot Act. I'm making the assumption that the Judge persiding on the court was legaly appointed by the President, and ratiffied by the Senate. If there is evidence to the contrary, would someone please present it.