Something to Think About

Imagine what would happen if, for the sake of argument, a candidate standing for the creation of a theocracy in the United States were to be elected President. I'm talking about one of these "God Hates America" folks, such as Fred Phelps or Jimmy Swaggart. Homosexuals would be among the first to start disappearing, followed by journalists, bloggers, and others who offer dissenting opinion. And, it would all be "legal." America would be dotted with interment camps, Gulags, if you will, and people who are against the theocracy would have no legal recourse.
Or, imagine an anti-Capitalist president, a militant Atheist president, or any ideological extremist finding his or herself to the oval office. Those who disagree with the administration could be designated "enemies of the state," and "disappeared."
Not that I'm trying to cause hysteria, or be an alarmist, because the chances of this happening would be very small. There are checks and balances that would negate any of this type of behavior under the Patriot Act. But, it could happen.
The Patriot Act, so far, has been an effective tool in blocking acts of terrorism in the United States, and, coupled with alleged NSA programs, has caught some bad guys. In fact, the Congressional Members who were briefed on the NSA programs have announced that it is legal, effective, and a good idea.
However, what would happen if the law were to become a tool of an extremist administration. Even if it only took two weeks to release innocent prisoners, by order or action of the Legislative or Judicial Branch, or by the Citizen Militia, that would still be two weeks of atrocities.
It is because of this possibility, of misuse of the Patriot Act, that a "Sunset Clause" must be written back into the legislation. Somebody should think about it, because there is always the possibility of an extremist abusing the power of office.