Reflect: Congress passes legislation and the president is tasked with implementing that legislation unless the legislation is vetoed. The powers of both the legislative and executive branches were on full display with the passage and implementation of the U.S. Patriot Act. The Patriot Act was signed into law on October 26, 2001– after the events of September 11th that same year. This act was passed because the legislative and executive branches felt there was a need for more cooperation between key government intelligence agencies and broader powers for law enforcement and the overall goal was a safer more secure United States. However, as the events of September 11th become a more distant memory, many have begun to question whether the Patriot Act is too broad in its scope and if the Act infringes on individual civil rights and liberties.

Write: In your initial post of at least 250 words, utilize the Constitution, established case law, and scholarly sources to evaluate the Patriot Act.  Does the Act infringe on civil rights and liberties? Explain your reasoning.  

Respond to Peers: Support your claims with examples from the required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references according to APA standards