I’m sure the PATRIOT Act did all sorts of new things. But, as my FReeper friends kept telling me back then, these are different times now, and we had to support the President.
Having turned on GWB in his second term ~ 2006 , not as late as 2011 like many we know did, I am amazed how the GOP ‘conservative establishment theme’ changed so dramatically from safety to freedom or liberty.
Still got Bush loyalists mouthing the words to use it against Obama.