From: tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 94 09:36:30 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Position Escrow System
Message-ID: <199406181636.JAA01483@netcom2.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Forwarded without comment, for now:

AP, Washington. In an interview on Cable News Network's "Weekend
Events," Attorney General Janet Reno said the recent O.J. Simpson case
demonstrate the need for the Administration's "position escrow
system," PES. 

With position escrow, she said, each citizen would emit unique
identifying code in the radio spectrum, whose signals could be
triangulated and then stored in a data base of positions versus time.
"This will allow us to track criminals, suspects, fugitives,
terrorists, child support deadbeats, and father rapers," she said.

Under the Administration proposal, positions would be escrowed by
"reputable" escrow agents, such as the Department of Internal Security
and the local authorities. Release of the escrow information would
require a court order, or at least a pretty good reason. National
security concerns could of course override the escrow.

"Would you want terrorists able to move freely through your city?,"
Reno asked. She acknowledged that the United States is engaged in
high-level consultations with other nations, including North Korea,
Cuba, France, and Iran, to coordinate with their own citizen tracking
programs.

Asked if this plan is not too Orwellian for Americans, Reno replied:
"The average citizen-unit has nothing to fear from PES if he has
nothing to hide. If, however, he is stopping off at bars on his way
home from work, and his National HealthPlan contract forbids alcohol
consumption, then we'll nail him."

The Position Escrow System does not require legislative approval, as
it has been made part of existing Executive Branch actions. Initial
testing of PES is now underway in Waco, Texas.


***end AP story***


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