Why do the neocons still dictate our foreign policy even under a Democrat presidency?

I imagine what you meant was why Obama is utilizing "that other guys" national security measures instead of eliminating programs like the Patriot Act and keeping GITMO, as he campaigned on, and enacting his own. The answer: BECAUSE THEY WORKED. Notice that since the talk went away about how to "change" these programs, there have been no repeated "attempts" to blow anything up on the continent.