Back in 2001 in the aftermath of 9/11 we could not have imagined having a president like Obama, a president who would utilize the powers granted to George W. Bush by the Patriot Act to protect us from terror. If we knew, those powers granted to the president would have been much more limited in scope and only for the duration of several years.
Myself and many others pointed that out here. Some neocons swore it was necessary to our very survival and that we would always have republican presidents. Idiots....
Ashcroft did not like it, did want to sign it.
They went to his hospital bed and “forced” him to sign.