For all the complaints about the Patriot Act, the truth is that it isn’t very well understood. Slate is trying to change that, and has put Dahlia Lithwick on the case. She’s written the first part of the four part series, which discusses Section 215 (the section that authorizes the government to subpoena your records simply by claiming that the search protects against terrorism). It raises red flags for me because it’s not subject to judicial oversight and is completely secret.