So the Patriot Act was supposed to help detect and arrest terrorists before they could carry out their dastardly deeds. The only domestic US conviction since 9-11-2001 was recently overturned. This means there hasn't been a single conviction in the US on terrorism charges since 9-11. Does that mean the law is working? See AlterNet: Rights and Liberties: Taking Liberties for a look at this. If I recall correctly, and I may be wrong, there is very little evidence that laws or threatened punishment deter crime. So, if there are no convictions and no acts of terrorism committed in the US as far as I know since 9-11, I have to wonder at the efficacy of these laws. Just a thought.