Changes

   | work =Michigan Daily  | publisher =University of Michigan  | date =[[2006-01-31]]

   | work =Michigan Daily  | publisher =University of Michigan  | date =[[2006-01-31]]

   | url =http://www.michigandaily.com/news/2006/01/31/News/Mock-Filibuster.Cut.Short.After.Senate.Calls.It.Quits-1545353.shtml  | accessdate =2006-08-16  }}</ref>

   | url =http://www.michigandaily.com/news/2006/01/31/News/Mock-Filibuster.Cut.Short.After.Senate.Calls.It.Quits-1545353.shtml  | accessdate =2006-08-16  }}</ref>

The ACLU is independent and hard to classify on the left/right political spectrum. The ACLU has been critical of elected officials and policies of both [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] and [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]]. However, Republicans consistently rank lower than Democrats in regard to supporting ACLU goals as seen in ACLU voting guides. [http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?sig_id=003415M]

The ACLU is independent and hard to classify on the left/right political spectrum. The ACLU has been critical of elected officials and policies of both [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] and [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]]. However, Republicans consistently rank lower than Democrats in regard to supporting ACLU goals as seen in ACLU voting guides. [http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?sig_id=003415M] [[Libertarian]]s have mixed opinions of the ACLU, in general applauding its support of individual liberty, but decrying its support of [[Big government]] policies such as affirmative action.

==Organizational history==

==Organizational history==

===Patriot Act I and II===

===Patriot Act I and II===

The ACLU has been a vocal opponent of the [[USA PATRIOT Act]] of 2001, the [[Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003|PATRIOT 2]] Act, and associated legislation made in response to the threat of domestic terrorism that it believes violates either the letter or the spirit of the [[United States Bill of Rights|U.S. Bill of Rights]]. In response to a requirement of the USA PATRIOT Act, the ACLU withdrew from the [[Combined Federal Campaign]].<ref name="cfc">http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/18526prs20040731.html</ref> The requirement was that ACLU employees must be checked against a federal anti-terrorism watch list. The ACLU has stated that it would rather "reject $500,000 in contributions from private individuals rather than submit to a government 'blacklist' policy."<ref name="cfc" />

The ACLU has been a vocal opponent of the [[USA PATRIOT Act |  Patriot act]] of 2001, the [[Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003|PATRIOT 2]] Act, and associated legislation made in response to the threat of domestic terrorism that it believes violates either the letter or the spirit of the [[United States Bill of Rights|U.S. Bill of Rights]]. In response to a requirement of the USA PATRIOT Act, the ACLU withdrew from the [[Combined Federal Campaign]].<ref name="cfc">http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/18526prs20040731.html</ref> The requirement was that ACLU employees must be checked against a federal anti-terrorism watch list. The ACLU has stated that it would rather "reject $500,000 in contributions from private individuals rather than submit to a government 'blacklist' policy."<ref name="cfc" />

''See also: [[American Civil Liberties Union v. Ashcroft (2004)]]''

''See also: [[American Civil Liberties Union v. Ashcroft (2004)]]''