Searching the White House website for news of the Patriot Act reauthorization, I’ve found this, the most recent presidential communication on the matter:

H.R.3961- PATRIOT Act Extension

This legislation will likely soon be received by the President. Read the text of the legislation or submit a comment.

The process of reauthorizing the Patriot Act bypassed the committee deliberation, involved last-minute legislative introduction on the sly, involved no debate in the Senate with a voice vote, and allowed only brief remarks in the House with the final vote held under the misleading title of “Medicare.” With this sort of secretive behavior out of the public eye, there’s been little procedural opportunity for the American public to weigh in with its wishes. Now, if you wish, the only thing left for you to do is let the office of the president know that this is all going down without your approval. I’ll be the first to admit it won’t accomplish much of anything, but that’s one small notch over accomplishing nothing.

My note to the White House:

I speak as someone who voted for Barack Obama in 2008: it is a shame that President Obama urged reauthorization of the Patriot Act without reform. It is a shame that President Obama arranged for Judiciary committee deliberations to be shelved. And it is a shame that President Obama is set to sign the reauthorization of the Patriot Act into law. As a constitutional scholar, surely President Obama knows better.

I voted for Barack Obama in 2008. I am no longer sure I will vote for him in 2012.