Last night I finished reading How Would a Patriot Act? by Glenn Greenwald. Excellent writing about how this administration is truly neither liberal nor conservative, but radical in their views about presidential power. From holding prisoners without charges or counsel, to using torture to extract confessions, to spying on American citizens without a warrant, the administration of George Bush has consistantly taken the law into their own hands, and away from the American people.

Greenwald is clear and rational, and his thesis is powerful. As a country, we can not afford to abide by this administration's radical ideas regarding the founding documents of this nation. When you add up recent events that may seem isolated from one another, the fact is, they are all founded in the extremist notion that maintaining ultimate power in this nation rests in the office of the president, rather than in our democratic system of government. This is a stunning and radical departure from traditional American political ideals, and has no basis in American history, save our break from England that was caused by the very same type of abuses.

The last time we had a King George that believed he was the sole arbiter of the law, we had a revolution. Today's King George is treading on dangerous constitutional territory. It's beyond time for today's patriots to stand up and use their power, as expressed in the laws of this nation, to protect the constitution. The Bush administration has seriously breached our core democratic values. How would a patriot act?

Timely and informative, How Would a Patriot Act? is an important book that deserves more attention. It's common sense for these times. Thomas Paine would be proud.