From: das@razor.engr.sgi.com (Anil Das)
Date: Thu, 1 May 1997 14:01:57 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: Re: SAFE Bill is a Disaster--"Use a cipher, go to prison"
In-Reply-To: <3.0.32.19970430221915.006abb08@best.com>
Message-ID: <9704302248.ZM15901@razor.engr.sgi.com>
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On Apr 30, 10:23pm, geeman wrote:
> Subject: Re: SAFE Bill is a Disaster--"Use a cipher, go to prison"
>
> I'd like to point out that the key phrase in there seems to be
> "under any law in effect on the effective date of this chapter"  -- altho
> it's gobbledegooked,
> the intent seems to say "if there is no law in effect mandating GAK when
> this bill becomes
> law, there can never be a law passed which does"  Or in other words, it has
> the effect of making
> GAK no better, or worse, than under current law, while preventing passage
> of GAK laws in the future.

	Agreed, except for one subtle correction. Congress cannot
make a law saying a future congress cannot make such and such a law,
because the future congress can always repeal, amend or override the
old law. So, what this section does is to make GAK through an
executive order impossible.

--
Anil Das