Looks like it’s almost a done deal, unfortunately.

“Our support for the Patriot Act does not mean a blank check for the president,” said Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who voted to pass the bill package.

What an incredibly hypocritical statement. “I voted to take away privacy and freedom from all US citizens, but I didn’t really mean for the President to use it that way.” When the President continues to use the provisions of the PATRIOT Act to move us ever closer to a police state, I can’t imagine anyone will really excuse Senator Reid for voting for it. If he didn’t want to give the President a blank check, which is basically what the PATRIOT Act does, he should have voted against it.