Now Bush gets tough?

The President said in his State of the Union that he wants the Patriot Act to be made permanent.

Much of the act, which has drawn well-deserved criticism from libertarians and constitutionalists, is scheduled to sunset in 2005. Originally legislators passed the act as a temporary, emergency measure.

It's fairly well-established that George Bush and Attorney General John Ashcroft care very little about your civil liberties. They don't care about,

• what the Patriot Act does.
• the Padilla & Hamdi cases.
• the Homeland Defense Department, the agency that will one day serve as our KGB.

But now CNS News reports, "The Bush administration is warning those who plan to legislate changes to the USA Patriot Act: the president will veto any bill scaling back key parts of the Patriot Act."

Now he gets tough!

This veto news is significant.

George W. Bush hasn't vetoed a single bill – not one.

Now one of two things is happening. Either the Congress is doing a perfect job of presenting legislation consistent with Bush's campaign platform and conservative image, or President Bush doesn't stand for much of anything.

• When big spending bills came down the pike, Bush signed them.

• When incumbent protection campaign finance deform reach his desk, he signed that too.

• When expansion of the Medicare entitlement came along, he proudly signed that as well.

Looks like Bush doesn't really have many core principles.

And this veto seems to underscore the point. Here are some other things that are apparently outside Bush's principles:

• A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

• The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

• No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

• In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

• Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

• All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

These used to be your Constitutional rights – but thanks to Bush and Ashcroft, not anymore.

If the Constitution mattered to the president, his veto threat would be on the extension of the Patriot Act, not the repealing of it.