Making "PATRIOT" permanent.(PATRIOT Act and Bush homeland security doctrine)

Renewal of the so-called PATRIOT Act for 10 years effectively means that U.S. citizens will "have their constitutional rights put on hold for a decade," wrote Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas). "If the PATRIOT Act is constitutional and badly needed, why were sunset provisions included at all? If it's unconstitutional and pernicious, why not abolish it immediately? All of this nonsense about sunsets and reauthorizations merely distracts us from the real issue, which is personal liberty. America was not founded on a promise of security; it was founded on a promise of personal liberty to pursue happiness."

As luck of something else would have it, the vote took place immediately after the recent round of subway and bus bombings in London, a terror rampage that prompted many of the act's defenders to assert that critics of the act would be morally liable were such atrocities to be committed here. This refrain was both predictable and utterly absurd, points out Rep. Paul.

"Let's remember that London is the most heavily monitored city in the world, with surveillance cameras recording virtually all public activity in the city center," noted the congressman. "British police are not hampered by our 4th Amendment nor our numerous due process requirements. In other words, they can act without any constitutional restrictions, just as supporters of the PATRIOT ...