Hi Jim ,
In answer to your question should this be allowed to continue .. HECK NO!!!!!! You can read between the lines I am a lady :)
I can say why in three little words.. USA PARTRIOT ACT. I took liberty to go fetch it so everyone can see what we have allowed OUR GOVENMENT to do to OUR liberties in the guise of war on terror !
Happy Reading and this applies to law abiding citizens as well not just for the terrorist that might be lurking about.
The USA PATRIOT Act, commonly known as the 'Patriot' act, is an Act of Congress that United States President George W. Bush signed into law on October 26, 2001. The bacronym stands for "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001" (Public Law Pub.L. 107-56).
The act expands the authority of US law enforcement agencies for the stated purpose of fighting terrorism
in the United States and abroad. Among its provisions, the Act
increases the ability of law enforcement agencies to search telephone,
e-mail communications, medical, financial and other records; eases
restrictions on foreign intelligence gathering within the United
States; expands the Secretary of the Treasury’s
authority to regulate financial transactions, particularly those
involving foreign individuals and entities; and enhances the discretion
of law enforcement and immigration authorities in detaining and
deporting immigrants suspected of terrorism-related acts. The act also expands the definition of terrorism to include domestic terrorism, thus enlarging the number of activities to which the USA Patriot Act’s expanded law enforcement powers can be applied.
The Act was passed by wide margins in both houses of Congress
and was supported by members of both the Republican and Democratic
parties. Despite widespread congressional support, it has been
criticized for weakening protections of civil liberties.
In particular, opponents of the law have criticized its authorization
of indefinite detentions of immigrants; searches through which law
enforcement officers search a home or business without the owner’s or
the occupant’s permission or knowledge; the expanded use of National Security Letters, which allows the FBI
to search telephone, email and financial records without a court order;
and the expanded access of law enforcement agencies to business
records, including library and financial records. Since its passage,
several legal challenges have been brought against the act, and Federal
courts have ruled that a number of provisions are unconstitutional.
Many of the act's provisions were to sunset beginning December 31, 2005,
approximately 4 years after its passage. In the months preceding the
sunset date, supporters of the act pushed to make its sunsetting
provisions permanent, while critics sought to revise various sections
to enhance civil liberty protections. In July 2005, the U.S. Senate
passed a reauthorization bill with substantial changes to several
sections of the act, while the House reauthorization bill kept most of
the act's original language. The two bills were then reconciled in a
conference committee that was criticized by Senators from both the
Republican and Democratic parties for ignoring civil liberty concerns.[1] The bill, which removed most of the changes from the Senate version, passed Congress on March 2, 2006 and was signed into law by President George W. Bush on March 9, 2006.