[quote]Firstly, I don't think there's any actual basis to support the assertion that "liberals support state surveillance of the populace." The current administration may be using these measures, but they are measures that began during the Bush administration.[/quote] But Obama said he planned to end the Patriot Act once he was president. But instead, he continues it. This is his fault, not Bush's. [quote]This isn't a question of right or left, it's merely the very obvious observation that politicians, when given power, use it. But I certainly don't believe that a majority, or even a large minority, of people who identify themselves as 'liberal' support these measures.[/quote] Well, I have seen a lot of support from both sides. Mainly partisan liberals. I have seen both (neo)Conservatives and Liberals support it, but I have only seen some Conservatives and all Libertarians oppose it. [quote] Secondly, if conservatives say they oppose anything that's currently being done, it's only because it's being done by the current Democrat administration[/quote] Democrats do the exact same thing. [quote] and politicians will seize any opportunity to make themselves look good and their opponents look bad.[/quote] It's called partisanship. [quote] Those same conservatives are by and large the very people who supported these measures being enacted in the first place.[/quote] Liberals are supporting the same measures that they opposed back when Bush was president.