Renewing the Patriot Act: What is the Patriot Act? The government claimed that it was a vital law necessary to protect us against future terrorist acts.
Who would oppose that? Shortly after 9/11 the act became law. There was public shock at the devastation caused by the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Surely, the government would make good use of the legislation. Failing to do so would violate the public trust since the act eliminated major constitutional protections of privacy, the right to a fair trial, and other civil liberties.
Before the act, you had an unqualified right to a “fair and speedy trial:”
