Patriot Act Push Angers Some on Right

The USA Patriot Act, an act devised to protect Americans from those who would take advantage of the rights and freedoms they have enjoyed for over 200 years.

I was thinking about my history the other day and was impressed that it was a Republican, small government President that instituted an act which had the most far reaching effects in the lives of the average citizen. It is also interesting at the timing of the bill. It did not happen during the cold war. Yes there were times when the various government agencies either toed the line or in some cases straddled the line. Usually they ended up being punished.

It was always understood that the Bills of Rights was the cornerstone to American Democracy. It punished those who would abuse it, consider Daniel Ellsberg and his struggle with the Nixon White House.

Even when there was incidences of domestic terrorism, Waco and Oklahoma City, the Bill of Rights held firm.

Now, external terrorists bring about the change of government thinking so that a draconian measure such as Patriots can be accepted without realizing the full ramification.

The sad thing is, the threat of terrorism is used to bring about exactly what the terrorist want, the freedoms enjoyed by the West. And Bush, wanting to do what he wants with the minimum of interference, is shredding the Constitution to protect his agenda which is to make the world safe for his oil buddies, including the Saudis.