Maybe it's because I've held a Top Secret security clearance once...

[Vinnie From Indy]

52. Huh?

You offer repeatedly that we are ultimately powerless and always have been in regard to keeping government from ignoring the 4th Amendment and then you offer that we should push for repeal of the Patriot Act. Why? If your first hypothesis is correct, why should we waste effort on a fool's errand?

Since time began the first inklings of any social change has been outrage and anger. That is simply the way it works and even though initial reactions and over emotional analysis leads to ugliness and countless mistakes, it still gets the ball rolling. EVen though time and more sober reasoning usually temper and more effectively focuses the initial outrage and anger, anger and outrage always have their seats at the table in regard to social change. Always!

Lastly, life is aout timing. If we as a society do not act forcefully now and reject the total surveillance state, how could we ever possibly effect change in the future when the mechanisms of oppression are even more firmly entrenched? No, I reject your proposition because the key here IS outrage and anger. The fact is that we who spend time here and engage in political debate are not your typical American. We are up to our necks in the minute details of politics and political events when the vast majority of Americans hardly have their feet wet. Granted, we here at DU have known about and suspected the worst for years in regard to domestic spying, but that is truly irrelevant to the discussion of changing the status quo because millions of Americans are not as informed as we are here and striking while the iron is hot is always advantageous. At least it has been for the MIC and the surveillance state after 9/11 and countless wars before that. In short, it is a good thing that there are histrionics and over dramatization of these events because it greatly stimulates a truly national discussion where the truth can hopefully be distilled and acted upon.

Cheers!