What concerns me most about the Patriot Act, not to mention all of the recent homeland anti-terrorism efforts, is that although those resources are now being directed towards the enemy they could one day be used against our own people just as easily.
And we have already seen it done in our recent memories where an arrogsnt president used all tricks at his disposal against "the enemy". Nixon used the IRS as an "audit punishment" for people who opposed his views, he had his ex-CIA hit teams doing their dirty work, even knowing what they did was 100% illegal.
People honestly amaze me because they just don't get it. There is something called the law of inherent power. Every president inherits the powers of the previous president plus whatever he can grab beyond that. Even if you can delude yourelf into believeing Bush would never "improperly" use the powers he now has which abrogate our constitutional rights against his "enemies" (which include every Democrat and anybody who opposes the war)... the fact that these powers have now been given to the president is a danger to liberty beyond anything we have ever seen. because here is the secret: once presidents grab a power, THEY NEVER GIVE IT BACK unless forced to by the supreme court.... and Bush will have that packed with "Scalia" clones in short order and our rights will be history.
Never forget the story of the rabbit and the fox caught in a forest fire standing near the edge of a river. The fox told the rabbit to climb on his back and he would swim them both across the river. The rabbit said: "You just want to eat me.", but the fox said: "No, really I don't. besides the danger from the fire is great. You'll die if you don't let me save you."
So the fox got in the water and the rabbit jumped onto his back. Once they were far from shore, the fox let himself slip deeper into the water which forced the rabbit to climb higher up his back to keep from drwning. Gradually, the fox had forced the rabbit all the way up to his shoulder. Just then the fox said: look, see all the flames? You are so lucky I saved you." And then he clamped his fangs around the rabbit and swallowed him.
Well, guess what rabbits: there may be a fire burning whose name is Al Qaeda, but that is not the demon who is your greatest threat.... .