Senate Blocks Patriot Act Extension, Founding Fathers Stop Rolling Over in Graves

With the exception of a handful of Eastern-bloc immigrants who like living under the shadow of Big Brother, America breathed a collective sigh of relief today as the Senate refused to reauthorize major portions of the USA Patriot Act.

What's first on the agenda for all those people who've been watching their P's and Q's for the past four years? Talking about current events on the phone, without fear of investigation or reprisal. What's second? Checking out "Catcher in the Rye" from the public library without getting red-flagged by the FBI.

Of course, the expiration of the Patriot Act won't prevent the Bush Administration from illegally using the NSA to eavesdrop on innocent Americans' phone conversations or intercepting email messages, if what the New York Times reported this week is true. That's the President's prerogative, according to the White House, to spy on the people he serves in the name of national security and the "war" on terror.

Ben, Thomas, John, Andrew and George, you may go back to spinning in your graves.