CarolC:

I agree with your opinion that much of the Patriot Act would in past years be struck down by the courts but if any of this stuff makes it to this current Supreme Court it will be 5-4 Bush, 5-4 Bush and more 5-4 Bush. We could see tha handwriting on the wall when the Supreme Court sided with Bush to call off the recounts in Florida.

This current court, while it used a loose interpretation to get Bush in the White House, are very much strict constructionists and if the constitution isn't perfectly clear then these justices will be sidingh with Bush. This is not a liberal court. Not even a moderate court.

Now as for legislation, Bush has discovered "executive order" and that is one way to cicumvent democratic discussion. He has used it ofr the voucher system for purchasing "Faith Based" services. No certification required. No accountability. Just hang up a shingle under a church's charter and you are in business.

Speaking of business, anyone realize that Bush snuck a lot of anti-environmental stuff in an appropriaitons bill this past week and the Dems never even protested. The way I understand it, after all that debate on logging, the logging industry got what they wanted. But don't look too hard for it in the media because environmental issues are passe in the media these days. The Oil drilling in Alaska was also snuck through. Go figure.

Bobert