Do you trust John Kerry, Bill Klinton(who pushed for his own Patriot Act over the drug war), Janet Reno, Ted Kennedy, Dianne Feinstein, Charles Schumer, or Jimmy Carter with this power?
Do you trust mid level bureaucrats with this power?
By their words and actions, they prefer that these people have such power than that they do not. Of course, Patriot Act supporters want President Rodhan to wield such power.
The Patriot Act was not enacted when Clinton, Reno, etc were in control and we still had Waco and other abuse of power.
We need the Patriot Act now...it is not perfect and some kinks need to be ironed out...but toss it and see what happens.
So easy to say, "protect our borders," but the enormity of doing so is more complicated than mere words.