i work for

an insurance company/financial institution. what does THAT have to do with the patriot act you say? PLENTY is what i have to say. yes, it even spills over onto us. we had to make a HUGE overhaul on our systems by a certain date (this year) in order to comply. well, the whole industry did (if you sell certain products). agents have to be 'anti-money laundering' certified (we have no captive agents, so these are ALL agents in the biz, as i said, IF they sell certain products) is it a good idea? well yes in theory and to a certain degree. NOT to the degree they've stated. it cost the industry. sure i don't want money going to terrorists. i also think common sense should prevail. i'd also like to state ALL financial institutions etc HAD anti-money laundering rules and regulations in place LONG BEFORE the patriot act.

that's neither here nor there. we MUST adhere and follow our constitution. we cannot step on it or spit on it or tear it up. we cannot allow our freedoms to be eroded. how hard is it to get a warrant? if you're the type of people who would be seeking a warrant for 'suspected terrorists' i have a gut feeling it would NOT be hard at all to get a judge to sign one. let's keep america free, ok?

Judge Invalidates Patriot Act Provisions
FBI Is Told to Halt Warrantless Tactic

By Dan Eggen Washington Post Staff Writer
A federal judge struck down controversial portions of the USA Patriot Act in a ruling that declared them unconstitutional yesterday, ordering the FBI to stop its wide use of a warrantless tactic for obtaining e-mail and telephone data from private companies for counterterrorism investigations.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero in New York said the FBI's use of secret "national security letters" to demand such data violates the First Amendment and constitutional provisions on the separation of powers, because the FBI can impose indefinite gag orders on the companies and the courts have little opportunity to review the letters........