When it comes to politically charged issues, the far right and far left seldom find themselves within hollering distance, let alone fighting for the same side. But opposition to the Patriot Act proved to be one of the biggest tents under the Capitol dome.

A resolution opposing portions of the federal legislation as a violation of citizen rights promised by both the Montana and U.S. constitutions passed the state Senate 40-10 and the House 87-12. That included lawmakers of pretty much all political flavors, but the strongest support came from people of an extreme liberal or libertarian bent who normally have trouble agreeing on the time of day.

The resolution, which also has been passed by four other states and 375 communities in 43 states, asks local law enforcement and other agencies not to cooperate with federal efforts that violate constitutional guarantees, encourages the state attorney general to monitor federal activities, asks schools to provide students whose records have been examined, and asks libraries and book stores to destroy records as quickly as they can to prevent federal agents from snooping into citizens' reading habits.

Interestingly, the states that have passed the resolution also exhibit a wide political gulf. Vermont, Maine and Hawaii are "blue" states that generally vote Democratic in national elections, while Alaska and Montana are not only "red," but boast wide-open spaces populated by many a citizen who isn't exactly a fan of the government. Indeed, many Westerners fear that the act's provision allowing secret warrants for "books, records, papers, documents and other items" very likely will include gun sale records.

On Tuesday, as Congress took up review of the Patriot Act - which has some provisions scheduled to expire at the end of the year - it wasn't clear whether a handful of nonbinding state resolutions would have any real impact at all.

But whatever brings such divergent political extremes together in a common cause is a good thing, particularly when the cause is as important a bedrock American issue as the Bill of Rights.