The PATRIOT act renewal hearings have started

Attorney general defends Patriot Act
(Tuesday, April 5, 2005 Posted: 11:44 AM EDT (1544 GMT) - CNN.COM)

It's probably important to remember that this man, the current Attorney General, previously wrote the memo's that provided the screwy legal schmegal justifications for the strange imprisonment system used at Guantanamo and the torture in the Iraqi prisons.

FBI Director Robert Mueller also asked lawmakers to expand the bureau's ability to obtain records without first asking a judge.

I'm sorry, but the constitution has protections against unreasonable search and seizure. The system we've had in place for a long time involves judicial review for a good reason. It's so that the police (FBI, etc) don't get too overzealous.

"It's important that these authorities remain available," Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Of course they see it this way. They're the police, and it is to protect us against overzealous police that the protections have been in place. But can you ever trust the police to have the peoples best interest at heart? Aren't they always going to want powers that make their job easier?