Trading Freedom for Safety

The following comes from NPR:
Senate Approves Extension Of Patriot Act Anti-Terror Provisions

by Eyder Peralta

With a 73-23 vote, the Senate voted to approve a four-year extension of three controversial provisions of the Patriot Act.

The AP reports:

It extends two provisions of the 2001 USA Patriot Act, one allowing roving wiretaps, the other allowing searches of business records in the pursuit of terror threats. A third provision gives the government power to watch non-American "lone wolf" suspects with no certain ties to terrorist groups.

All three provisions are viewed as valuable tools by law enforcement officials but are opposed by some who say they can lead to privacy rights abuses.

One staunch opponent of the extension was Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). Bloomberg reports Paul tried to delay the vote and tried to amend the bill.

Read the balance of the article at: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/05/26/136693690/senate-approves-extension-of-patriot-act-anti-terror-provisions

This reminds me of a quote from someone that goes something like this: Those who give up their freedom for safety will have neither.