I wanted to be sure I had time to watch it carefully and think about it. The “Bush” administration has not done anything that previous administrations have not done. They are giving Bush too much credit for creativity.
A few observations:
1. The Espionage Act of 1917 passed at the urging of President Woodrow Wilson, who was concerned that dissent, in time of war, was a significant threat to morale. Congress repealed the Sedition Act on December 13, 1920.[1] [2] The repeal of the Sedition Act was the apparent result of its many abuses during World War I, including actions by the Wilson administration and the postmaster general.
2.World War II saw Japanese Americans sent to camps by FDR as an effort to protect America. In hindsight, not an act that was in the American spirit of freedom, but justified in a best effort to protect America. Right, wrong ? Not right, but understandable. It was undone and apologies made.
3. Eisenhower sent the US Army to Little Rock, AR in 1957 to enforce integration. Constitutional, probably not. Justified yes.
4. President Johnson with the approval of Congress literally started the Viet Nam War out of genuine fear of Communist domination of southeast Asia. Right, wrong? In hindsight probably right, but like Iraq, poorly executed.
5. Under President Carter, the “Fairness Doctrine” was signed into law which required any public broadcasts on public air waves to have a balance of views presented on each program. Result, no talk radio left or right. In 1987, under Reagan, the law was repealed. Result, talk radio flourished with any point of view that could sell advertising.

The book and video were one sided and super critical of Bush. I believe he did, as Presidents and Congress before him, what he thought was necessary to protect America. And he has. Most of the abuses of law cited in the video were taken up by the Supreme Court and ruled constitutional. Congress chose not to deal with many of the issues. I think the system worked fairly well. Anecdotal incidences of apparent abuse were shown, but there were not thousands of abuses like those portrayed in Chile, Germany, Italy, etc. An exaggeration of the extent of mistakes made.

I think the most important element of our “American Experiment” is the first amendment – Freedom of speech. As long as left, right, up, down points of view and the information, favorable or unfavorable to the government, is available, our system and country will endure. Be very concerned when that freedom of information is compromised or limited beyond slander.

Hold the next administration to the same standards as the last and the system will correct itself.