Al Gore gave yet another scathing speech today regarding the balance of freedom and security in our country, highlighting how the Bush administration's policies (including the PATRIOT Act) are in fact diminishing both. He concludes:

This Administration simply does not seem to agree that the challenge of preserving democratic freedom cannot be met by surrendering core American values. Incredibly, this Administration has attempted to compromise the most precious rights that Americans stood for all over the world for more than 200 years: due process, equal treatment under the law, the dignity of the individual, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, freedom from promiscuous government surveillance. And in the name of security, this Administration has attempted to relegate the Congress and the Courts to the sidelines and replace our democratic system of checks and balances with an unaccountable Executive. And all the while, it has constantly angled for new ways to exploit the sense of crisis for partisan gain and political dominance. How dare they?

Ahh, what the world might be like today if Gore had revealed this "Ass-Kicking American Patriot" side of his personality during the 2000 presidential election, instead of the "Over-Coached Used Car Salesman" side...