The Democrats and the Patriot Act: How Much Cynicism Is Too Much?

Obama signs one-year extension of Patriot Act

My personal favorite snippet from the article: "The Senate also approved the measure, with privacy protections cast aside when Senate Democrats lacked the necessary 60-vote supermajority to pass them. Thrown away were restrictions and greater scrutiny on the government's authority to spy on Americans and seize their records."

So a giant scheme to enrich health insurance companies at the expense of young people is important enough to warrant discussion of using reconciliation (a legislative tool with an Orwellian name if there ever was one), but defending fundamental civil liberties isn't. I guess Democratic Party impotence cuts both ways. Ah well, maybe I'm overreacting. It's not like we've replaced warrants with names scribbled on post-it notes or anything.

FBI Replaced Legal Process with Post-It Notes to Obtain Phone Records

Oh.

That'll teach me to open my big mouth, I guess.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that without fundamental changes--not just "vote the bastards out," although that would be a good start--all we can expect from Washington is further looting of our pocketbooks and tightening of the handcuffs clamped on our wrists.

Take action while you still have circulation in your hands.