[int_19h]

PATRIOT Act was also essentially bipartisan (while most opposition was from Dems, more Dems voted for it than against it).

[scarface74]

They were afraid of being labelled unpatriotic. This was during the time where Senator Max Cleland was attacked for being "unpatriotic" even though he lost three limbs in the Vietnam War

[int_19h]

Fundamentally, it's about the fear of not getting re-elected.

And I would dare say that it's probably one of the biggest contributors to all legislation.