President Bush escalated his attack yesterday on Senate Democrats and four Republicans for blocking efforts to renew the USA Patriot Act, but key lawmakers insisted they will not budge until stronger privacy protections are added to the domestic surveillance law. In a hard-hitting speech at the White House, Bush rebuked those senators for blocking action Friday to reauthorize the act’s key provisions, which are set to expire in two weeks. “That decision is irresponsible, and it endangers the lives of our citizens,” Bush said. “In the war on terror, we cannot afford to be without this law for a single moment.” Full Story