Mukasey: Now's No Time to Weaken Patriot Act

I don't think it's very slippery at all. Corrupt applications of a government mandate to override the constitution, even though it may at other times be used to save lives in some cases, is an even greater threat of deadly criminal force. How about the illegal campaigns against civil rights leaders and other high profile stuff like Nixon's persecution of John Lennon? Something like 'The Patriot Act' can be used as part of an anti-constitutional campaign to undermine political dissenters. Among the founding principles of our country--one of the defining characteristics of democracy--is the right to dissent. If you want to 'blame' someone for the need to eliminate the patriot act, you can blame those who have dishonored their offices through treachery and deception while holding power--the kind to whom The Patriot Act is wrapped in a bow, for it is they who created the mistrust , it is they who provided the evidence that greed and political self-preservation, for some politicians, will always take precedence over the good of the people over which they govern. It is they who have made it impossible to trust politicians to use such as tool only for 'good'. You can thank those guys, for their names are Nixon and Bush. Blocking future criminals like them from using tools like The Patriot Act to undermine dissent is MORE VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT than having the use of such a tool to help stop terrorist attacks. Governmental violation of our constitution is more deadly than any terrorist bomb could prove to be. In fact, the irony would be that the terrorist 'threat' will have lead to the erosion of our constitution's guarantees...what should satisfy a terrorist more, killing 75 people in a hotel lobby, or actually compromising our values, ideologies and our freedom as a nation. Some people are bent out of shape about flag burning, well, constitution burning (especially from within) should be taken much more seriously. Ironically the one's that make a big deal about the former, tend to approve the latter. Go figure!

I'm sure you had both conservatives and liberal not liking the "Patriot Act" The Oxymoron named law. Since it suspends what it's trying to protect.The slippery slope could continue.Would you want law enforcement to have these types power for all citizens? It would be great to stop someone before a person committed a crime. How can you control such a monster.Sounds like it's needed though! Only wish they had to go threw some grand jury,so that the PPL would choose to allow the government such power, possibly even more, on a case on a case investigation.