Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul Spar over the Need for the Patriot Act to Protect America – Video 11/22/11

Here is video from the CNN GOP Debate on National Security where Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul sparred over whether the Patriot Act should be extended to protect America, or not. Gingrich said he would not change the Patriot Act, and would even look to strengthen it further. He drew a strong distinction between “civil/criminal law” and “National Security,” where the Government should have more leeway to protect America.

Rep. Paul disagreed, saying we should “not be willing to sacrifice liberty for security.” Paul considers terrorism and terrorists as those who break the law, and he mentioned Timothy McVeigh as an example of a terrorist domestically who was dealt with by the criminal justice system. Gingrich shot back that McVeigh is precisely why the Patriot Act is needed, because “McVeigh succeeded” in killing Americans, and we can’t afford that risk with terrorists who could seek to detonate a nuclear weapon in an American city.