December 17, 2009 10:34AM 

# Colbert Report on PATRIOT & Private Spying 

By [Julian Sanchez](https://www.cato.org/people/julian-sanchez) 

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Stephen Colbert tackles both Obama’s flip-flop on the PATRIOT Act (“When presidents take office they learn a secret… Unlimited power is *awesome!*”) and the private sector’s complicity in the growth of the surveillance state—drawing heavily on [the invaluable work of Chris Soghoian](http://paranoia.dubfire.net/2009/12/8-million-reasons-for-real-surveillance.html).

| [The Colbert Report](http://www.colbertnation.com) | Mon — Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c |
|---|---|
| [The Word — Spyvate Sector](http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/258582/december-16-2009/the-word---spyvate-sector) |
| [www​.col​bert​na​tion​.com](http://www.colbertnation.com/) |
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##### Related Tags 

[Defense and Foreign Policy](https://www.cato.org/defense-foreign-policy), [Constitutional Law](https://www.cato.org/constitutional-law), [Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies](https://www.cato.org/robert-levy-center-constitutional-studies) 

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