“Counter-Terrorism: Security v. Liberty”
Dr. Brian Anderson
Presented Thursday, Sept. 15. 2005
Congress and the Bush
administration expanded law enforcement powers under the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001
as part of a larger counterterrorism strategy. Critics allege that the
streamlined and secret information-gathering procedures now enjoyed by the FBI
and others violate the first and fourth amendments to the Constitution. One
federal court case has already overturned part of the Act, and several other
cases are in process. Congress is in the middle of reauthorizing the Act, with
bipartisan Senate opposition expected to put President Bush on the spot. He has
promised a veto of anything short of a full reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT
Act.
