Who is to oversee how this is used? How is anybody held accountable when it abused, and it will be abused.

Anybody who hasn't already checked out the videos on "The Shock Doctrine" about permanent losses of civil liberties in the wake crisis and disaster owes themselves to check it out.

Welcome to the Military-Information Complex.

It is the death of liberty and the ideals our country was founded upon.

More so-called GOOD INTENTIONS, and we all know where those lead. This is related to the state of emergency renewals that will keep us in a state of war that can be used to control dissent. If you don't stand for something, you will stand for anything.

To an outsider it appears that the Democrats are not willing to take a stand on many issues.
There are many who are against the provisions of the "Protect America Act" and their representatives ignore them.
All politicians are ultimately responsible to their constituents. Each vote should be remembered by these constituents and taken into account when voting (or not voting, if they are not happy with the choices).

Yes, I believe this is why many Republicans, in Red States replaced their Republican representatives. Our representative ignored us, and we replaced him....poof! he was gone....but he and his corporate cronies don't get it....he's planning to run in the Republican primary again....now he is just playing the role of the Nader spoiler in the Republican primary.