Earlier this month, Montana became the 5th state in the nation to pass a resolution against the USA Patriot Act. This is notable because although Montana is one of the most conservative states in the country, it passed the most strongly-worded statewide anti-Patriot Act resolution of any state so far by an overwhelming margin of 40-10 in the Montana Senate and 87-12 in the state House.
Or perhaps this is BECAUSE Montana is one of the most conservative states in the country. Traditional conservativism has focused on fighting excessive power in the hands of the government, particularly the federal one. The Patriot Act certainly qualifies as such.
The Montana resolution states that the Patriot Act allows the federal government “to more liberally detain and investigate citizens and to engage in surveillance activities that may violate or offend the rights and liberties guaranteed by our state and federal constitutions.”
Reading some of the rhetoric out there, you'd think only the partisan demagogues and hippy librarians along with the evil ACLU and other terrorists could conceivably object to any parts of the Patriot Act, which would only be used judiciously and virtuously by unelected officials. Of course, such claims are impossible to verify precisely because of the secrecy provisions of the Patriot Act.
However, it's clear that bleeding heart liberals aren't the only ones concerned about the Patriot Act's attack on our freedom.
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