how come the dems aren't screaming their heads off to make the public more aware of what's going on?
Because they have allowed the Repugnantcans to define the issue as being about protecting the safety of the country, and the Dimwitcrats know that they can't get re-elected if the Repugnantcans paint them as being soft on terrorists.
After 9/11 people were scared. A leader would have reassured them. Dumbya and the Repugnantcans instead played on that fear, and the Dimwitcrats sat back and let them do it.
Those who would sacrifice an essential liberty for a temporary security will lose both, and deserve neither. -- Benjamin Franklin