the program is up and running, only to the degree that someone is willing to pursue warrants through FISA. and when they don't want to, the program isn't up and running, at least not with respect to the domestic criminal justice system.
and do you think the Dems are going to stop here? No, they will move now to make FISA even more restrictive, with congressional oversight perhaps. so what happens then, does the administration come back later and say "we should never have let this executive privilege go, we are re-asserting it".
No......But this issue was a Republican problem. They have been working on this approval fast track process for some many months, and apparently feel comfortable with it.
But you are correct that entire patriot act is at risk now, but not because of this decision. Lets take one problem at a time. This decision will not affect the Dem's desire to bury bush and forget we are at risk from terror.
The dem's think the french will love us if we act like a bunch of pandering puss's. They are not going to get any worse, or any better. They are what they are until they get a Dem in the White house, and that won't be but two more years.