Yahoo News reports:

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration supports extending three key provisions of the Patriot Act that are due to expire at the end of the year, the Justice Department told Congress in a letter made public Tuesday.

Lawmakers and civil rights groups had been pressing the Democratic administration to say whether it wants to preserve the post-Sept. 11 law’s authority to access business records, as well as monitor so-called “lone wolf” terrorists and conduct roving wiretaps.

The provision on business records was long criticized by rights groups as giving the government access to citizens’ library records, and a coalition of liberal and conservative groups complained that the Patriot Act gives the government too much authority to snoop into Americans’ private lives.

More here.

The longer Obama is President, the more I think that he will be, in the end, a net benefit to Republicans. As I said when Obama was first elected:

Obama’s choices in office could have, ironically enough, a positive affect on Bush’s legacy. For example, if Obama decides to take, even with the control of congress, a “pragmatic” approach to foreign policy and continues many of Bush’s more controversial positions, it could have a long run positive affect on how Bush’s legacy is viewed.

The more of Bush’s controversial policies that Obama adopts, the stronger Obama makes the argument that Bush really did, out of necessity and national interest, enact such policies. In the long run, Obama neutralizes many of the complaints against Bush, especially since he has a stronger control of congress than Bush ever did.