We the undersigned...

Thanks to Thom Haslam at SOCIETAS for pointing people to the ACLU’s online petition for Patriot Act reform. The goal is to get 100,000 signatures before congress votes on final reauthorization.

Here’s the text of the petition:

We, the undersigned, are joining with a bipartisan coalition of Republicans, Democrats and Independents calling for reform to the Patriot Act.

The flawed provisions of the Patriot Act threaten our basic constitutional freedoms by giving the government the power to access our medical records, our tax records, and information about the books we buy or borrow, all without probable cause or any facts connecting us to foreign terrorists. The Patriot Act also gives the government the power to obtain a special “sneak and peek” search warrant to break into our homes and conduct secret searches without telling us for weeks, months or indefinitely, and without any connection to terrorism at all. The Patriot Act needs to be reformed, not expanded or made permanent.

Hundreds of communities and seven states have passed resolutions against the worst excesses of the Patriot Act. Our message is clear: It is time for Congress to listen to its constituents and bring the Patriot Act in line with the Constitution.

Add your name now!

Thom has also posted some great resources to learn more about restoring check and balances. This is a great compliment to the ACLU’s Reform the Patriot Act resources. If you need facts, talking points, or ideas for action it’s all there.