Provisions slated to expire include: the “roving wiretap provision,” which permits government to obtain intelligence surveillance orders without identifying the person or the facility being tapped (Section 206 of the Act); the “Lone Wolf” provision, which permits intelligence agencies to survey non-US persons not affiliated with a foreign organization (Section 6001 of the Act); and Section 215, which grants government authorization to obtain “any tangible thing” relevant to a terrorism investigation, even if there is no evidence the “thing” pertains to the terrorist or terrorist activity under investigation.

There is still bipartisanship in Washington when something like depriving civil liberties in the name of Terror has to get done. We may have killed Osama bin Laden, but we have yet to slay the Boogeyman.

Republicans are doing more than offering their opinion. They’re threatening the livelihoods of the decision-makers in the case. This only differs from the US Attorney scandal in that Republicans don’t hold the White House, so the threats are coming from a different part of the government.

The Social Security Solvency and Sustainability Act slashes benefits drastically but continues to require workers to pay the same level of contributions specified under current law. Workers’ paystubs would continue to show that they were contributing to Social Security, but that would be only partly true. Workers would be contributing $6.2 trillion more than what would be needed.

Graham, Lee, and Paul propose to “borrow” those excess contributions, all $6.2 trillion worth, the way a school yard bully borrows –with no intention ever of repaying the money. Like school yard bullies, the three Senators even bragged about the fraud. Their press release announcing their proposal describes “What the plan accomplishes,” and lists as the very first accomplishment, “Reduces debt held by the public by $6.2 trillion by 2085.” How can they reduce the debt held by the public? By “borrowing” $6.2 trillion from Social Security’s Trust Funds with no intention of ever paying as much as a penny back.

Pelosi says she would have Democrats step in if Boehner fails to find 218 votes today. And this actually sets up the next fight. Boehner can then go to negotiations with his concern about the more right-leaning elements of his caucus, saying that many of them bolted on the 2011 budget bill and that many more will do the same on the debt limit vote without concessions. It’s a calculated tactic.

More pages out of the Republican playbook on social security

The smoke and mirrors discussion is a lot of smoke and mirrors. While it’s true that a lot of the cuts reflect accounting changes and one-time reductions from increases meant to only last a year, and in general terms the budget could use a spring cleaning every now and again, the truth is that this mainly speaks to the hazards of putting together continuing resolutions year over year, which inevitably lead to these problems. There’s a huge opportunity cost in scoring these as cuts. Money reduced from an already completed Census can be put to use elsewhere; money from unspent transportation earmarks can be excised and shifted into program budgets. This would be a matter of routine in any normal budget year. Turning them into cuts is not “smoke and mirrors”; it’s real-dollar losses that will magnify over time as these numbers become the new baseline.

You can argue whether or not Congress should have warmaking powers over the executive, but you cannot argue about the Constitutional origin, nor can you argue about how Congress has basically left the playing field on war powers for decades now. This is how you have the United States end up in wars that have no end in sight, and then double down and escalate forces in response. Congress could respond by staking out powers for itself, but they have proven to be woefully craven in that respect.

Obviously, Rand’s not running for president this year.

When the House passed a 10-month extension of key provisions of the Patriot Act last night, it was assumed that the Senate would follow suit quickly. And they will vote on the measure tonight. However, they will narrow the extension to three months, in a move with bipartisan support.