It goes to the issue of the what we might call the "Uniparty" - On some rather important issues like war and civil liberties the politicians band together in unity to indulge in some ugly authoritarian warmongering.

It took 20 years for the PATRIOT act to start cropping up politically (in an unusual display of cosmic fairness, the noisy Republicans are the ones being painted as terrorists - maybe that'll teach them a lesson about civil liberties and not giving cover to these horrible acts? Hoist with thine own petard) How long before this is used against the next left/right wing populist promising peace? Maybe even this year if they can use it against Trump.