NP: internet radio (hard rock)

President Bush is going on the offensive to generate support for the Patriot Act. In the first place, this seems odd when Congress has all gone home. In the second place, I want to see the Democrats with a spine on this one, but not just by objecting the law's renewal. What I'd like to see is the Dems demand that some provision for gun records be included.

Can you imagine how the fur would fly if that made it on the table?

This is, to me, one of the biggest problems with the Patriot Act, the blind eye it turns toward firearms. If the left wants to come across as having both common sense and homeland security credibility, this seems like it could work. Especially because the NRA influence might wane a bit as lobbying, in general, is going to have a serious black eye for a bit in the wake of the emerging Abramoff scandal.

Of course, I may be underestimating the stranglehold the NRA has on the government, the Right's ability to convince people that terrorists with guns aren't inherently more dangerous than terrorists without guns, and the Left's ability to actually affect congressional legistlation and procedure. Other than those, though, why not?