Interesting questions.

1)Why was Afghanistan acceptable to attack, but Iraq was not?

As has been said, Afghanistan has a direct and material connection to the attacks in New York and Washington. Iraq did not. Moreover, we were not yet done in Afghanistan when we undertook the Iraq boondoggle.

2)Are we truly at war?

The answer depends on what your definition of war is. To my eyes, the answer is yes.

3)Is the Patriot Act a good thing?

No.

4)Which is more important: our lives, or our freedom to live them the way we choose?

Most people will, and always have, choose the former.

5)Why is Iraq so important?

It is not.

6)What is our goal?

Who knows?

7)Four years later, have we overreacted to 9/11?

Some of us have, some of us have not.

8)Have the lives we've lost in Iraq been less than the lives we've saved in doing so?

Impossible to tell for sure.

9)Is this a temporary state, or a new paradigm of America?

A new pagadigm.

10)Are things better?

No.

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It would seem that no one remembers we will be electing a new President in two years, and that much of this will change(barring we elect Cheney).

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I agree with another poster that there is a significant non-zero chance (about half the chance of another major terrorist attack) that he 2008 election will be cancelled.