The Democrats and Republicans only defend your civil liberties when it is convenient to do so. Check out this Reason article, which examines how Ashcroft and Kerry have undergone a peculiar role reversal.  Here’s my favorite quote:

Kerry then expressed his belief that bank customers are entitled to essentially zero privacy. “The technology is already available to monitor all electronic money transfers,” he wrote (emphasis added). “We need the will to make sure it is put in place.”

Uh huh. Is Kerry really that much of a safer bet than Ashcroft? Power corrupts, and once he has the power… ?