Obama Is Lukewarm Democrat

The GOP controlled House scheduled a vote on the police state legislation known as the Patriot Act, and it failed to pass by seven votes. The accelerated schedule required a two-thirds supermajority to pass the bill. About two dozen 'tea party' first term congressmen voted with Democrats to block the extension. The bill is expected to return to the floor. The vote caught GOP leaders off guard, and perhaps reflects an emerging progressive-libertarian coalition recently touted by Ron Paul and Ralph Nader. What is even more or less surprising depending on your perspective of President Obama is that he wanted an even longer extension until 2013 to pass regardless of evidence that the FBIroutinely abuses its search powers under the Act. The national emergency giving rise to the Patriot Act legislation took place ten years ago, but despite sunset provisions it is still a fact of life. Will Americans have to walk like the Egyptians by assembling on the Washington Mall to get their civil rights returned to them? Do they even care?