Only 26 Republicans in the
House of Representatives voted to stop the Patriot Act. Disgusting.

There is nothing patriotic
about the Patriot Act that was initially passed in the wake of 9/11 and there’s
nothing patriotic about those members of the House—Republicans or Democrats—who
voted to extend the bill that destroys constitutional guarantees.

With George Bush in the White
House, the Patriot Act was passed without debate, without House members even
having the chance to read it. They were bullied and shamed into passing a
measure that called for, and still does call for, the spying on U.S. citizens at the
whim of federal agents, and allows those agents to write their own search
warrants, to tap phones and read private e-mail without the need to go before a
judge.

The bill gutted the Fourth
Amendment guarantees against unreasonable searches and seizures and it makes
hypocrites of those who voted for it in 2001 and those who have voted for its
extension.

Less than a week after hundreds
of thousands of Egyptians took to the streets in an attempt to end a tyrannical
government there, American politicians extended the cloak of legality that
allows for tyrannical practices here, practices that caused the American
colonies to fight for independence from Britain 235 years ago.

Let’s name some names. U.S.
Rep. Michele Bachmann, of Minnesota, the Republican who heads the stupidly
named tea party caucus in the House voted to extend the act. What color are her
patriotic stripes? Are they really red and white?

Closer to home there’s Pat
Meehan, the Republican who assumed the 7^th Congressional District
seat formerly held by Democrat Joe Sestak. Mr. Meehan rode the wave of getting
the country back in touch with the Constitution, but he voted for the
extension.

There’s U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts,
the Republican who’s been representing the 16^th Congressional
District for years. He’s just another Washington insider.

Then there’s newcomer Jon
Runyon of New Jersey. The former Philadelphia Eagle offensive lineman, no
longer capable of protecting a quarterback, now shows himself incapable of
protecting the Constitution. That’s truly offensive.

Delaware Democrat John Carney
also voted to extend the bill. The only Pennsylvania Republican to vote against
was Michael Fitzpatrick of the 8^th District. Only three Pennsylvania
Democrats voted no.

In all, 210 of 240 Republicans
in the House voted to extend the act. Only 65 of 193 Democrats followed suit.
(A full breakdown on the Patriot Act extension vote can be found at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2011-36)

The vote makes one wonder how
Republicans will vote on necessary budget cuts. Will they actually work to get
the nation’s fiscal house in order or will they treat that responsibility with
the same disregard they displayed in extending the Patriot Act?

It’s a scary thought. Americans
must tell their representatives—and senators—to get their act together and
restore the rule of law, the supremacy of the Constitution over bread and
circus legislation and partisan party politics. Without that, Americans will
demonstrate the truth of Benjamin Franklin’s caution that those who trade
liberty for security deserve neither.

Patriots aren't conservative in defending the Constitution or preserving liberty. They go at it full bore—and a free people demand they do so. It's the only way they can remain free.