It was the Bush admin that abused the writing, passage and implementation of the Patriot Act.
Bush was not, was never trustworthy, on this issue. The power structure in charge of Patriot Act and FISA and Echelon and other programs bureaucracies are APOLITICAL.
Every time you try to create and/or score a political point over this tragedy you are being used as a pawn by the power structure. You are doing their bidding.
Break through the false dichotomy, your allies in this final struggle for civil liberties will span most of the ideological spectrums, don’t think supporting one snake tongued politician over another is going to do anything but further the oppression of the people by the intelligence community.
Rights aren't Rights unless they apply equally to all citizens, regardless of their politics (or any of the other crap people are fond of using in disclaimers).
If power corrupts, we don't want any faction of Government to have too much--it will eventually be used in the worst way possible. It belongs with the People, anyway, as the Founders intended.