Response to "The USA PATRIOT Act: A Sketch"
There might have been some good intentions with the Patriot Act, which were preventing further terrorist attacks like 9/11, but the intrusion of privacy is a bit too much to accept. "Patriot Act" is kind of a funny name though, it's like "It's patriotic to give up your privacy! Bear it for the sake of your country!" or "If you're against the Patriot Act, then you're not patriotic, thus you're a terrorist." It is pretty Orwellian, but... how else can the government deal with electronic communications? Like, if you can prevent something horrible from happening, why not? I don't think you could ever strike a satisfactory balance between collecting useful information and preserving privacy. One will come at the expense of the other.
Question: What is the approximate "ratio" of spying vs catching a terrorist now versus before the Patriot Act, and what is the number of people/plans caught?
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