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Patriot Act Remains Divisive in U.S.
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - A series of explicit regulations to fight terrorism continue to split public opinion in the United States, according to a poll by Gallup released by CNN and USA Today. 30 per cent of respondents believe the Patriot Act goes to far in restricting people's civil liberties, while 21 per cent think it does not go far enough.
The Patriot Act—passed by Congress and signed into law by U.S. president George W. Bush in October 2001—enables the federal government to gather information on suspected terrorists through court-ordered wiretaps and searches. 41 per cent of respondents believe the provisions are correct.
On Jun. 9, Bush defended the legislation, saying, "The Patriot Act has accomplished exactly what it was designed to do—it has protected American liberty, and saved American lives."
Sixteen provisions of the Patriot Act—including one that allows federal officials to intercept electronic communications—are set to expire at the end of 2005. Bush urged Congress "to renew them all, and this time, make the provisions permanent."
Polling Data
Based on what you have read or heard, do you think the Patriot Act goes too far, is about right, or does not go far enough in restricting people's civil liberties in order to fight terrorism?
Jun. 2005 | Feb. 2004 | |
Too far | 30% | 26% |
About right | 41% | 43% |
Not far enough | 21% | 21% |
No opinion | 8% | 10% |
Source: Gallup / CNN / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 1,006 American adults, conducted from Jun. 24 to Jun. 26, 2005. Margin of error is 3 per cent.