The surveillance state ushered in under the reign of Bush the Younger was given a bipartisan imprimatur in late May when the USA PATRIOT Act was renewed for another four years. Warrantless wiretaps? You bet. Illegal searches of personal and business records? That's just how it is these days, because, you know, terrorism.

It appears that any hopes progressives may have had that President Obama would undo the Bush-era security state are unfounded. Whither from here? Abe and Joe survey the damage.