> The ACLU specifically was on the opposing end of plenty of Bush-era legislation and got labeled as such. My childhood memories are pocketed with soundbites of Bill O'Reilly denouncing the ACLU as a bastion of American liberalism.
They've been labeled as such for much longer than that. My point is, the label doesn't make sense. Bill O'Reilly doesn't like them because they are a threat to some of his political causes, like civil rights for people he doesn't like (prisoners, alleged terrorists, illegal immigrants, etc.). The ACLU opposes the much of what every President does - that's the main threat to civil liberties - including Obama's surveillance programs, for example.
They've been labeled as such for much longer than that. My point is, the label doesn't make sense. Bill O'Reilly doesn't like them because they are a threat to some of his political causes, like civil rights for people he doesn't like (prisoners, alleged terrorists, illegal immigrants, etc.). The ACLU opposes the much of what every President does - that's the main threat to civil liberties - including Obama's surveillance programs, for example.