Smut,I agree with you . I don't like the Patriot act but what else do we have to fight these terrorists within our country, so I am willing side with it to do so. As far as that article about going through your records as it presently stands I don't think the government would use this to prosecute anyone who wasn't a terrorist , funder of terrorism or a supporter of terrorism because it would be to open to lawsuits as the stated purpose of the bill is to fight terror.You know the ACLU and media will keep a hawk eye on the cases that are prosecuted with evidence from this act so it should be used against terrorists only.
If there were another way to weed out this element in Americas without stepping on your rights I would be all for it but until then Patriot is all we have.