Still in a State of National Emergency

On August 28, 2008, President Bush served notice that he is preserving the right to suspend the Constitution and its protection of our civil liberties. Here's a paragraph from his extension of the state of national emergency that began seven years ago:

Because the terrorist threat continues, the national emergency declared on September 14, 2001, and the powers and authorities adopted to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond September 14, 2008. Therefore, I am continuing in effect for an additional year the national emergency I declared on September 14, 2001, with respect to the terrorist threat.

So why do I feel like there is more to fear from Bush-Cheney than from terrorists?

Perhaps it is because I take seriously the warning in James Madison's Memorial and Remonstrance that declared, "It is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties."