From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 1997 09:08:11 +0800
To: cypherpunks@Algebra.COM
Subject: Government shows its hand...good news!
Message-ID: <v03102802b03a4c4ebf40@[207.167.93.63]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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Though it's understandable why so many are expressing anger, gloom,
anxiety, and rage over the Freeh-Feinstein mandatory key escrow draft bill,
a better attitude is that of joy.

Any way it goes, this is good news for us.

If the Safe Internet Act (or whatever it is finally called)  is passed, the
Supreme Court will likely strike it down (on First and/or Fourth Amendment
grounds). This will marginalize the crypto folks, and perhaps cause the
Court to reaffirm the Patel decision and related issues.

If the Safe Internet Act is never actually proposed, or dies in committee,
or fails, then at least Big Brother's true intentions will have been shown.

Actually, this has already happened. All of those who ever expressed doubt
that Big Brother planned to ban crypto must now see we were right all along.

The remaining alternate course, that the Act is passed, and then that the
Supreme Court eventually affirms its constitutionality, is also good for
us. For it will then mean war has been declared, and various extreme sorts
of actions will then accelerate.

And that could be a lot of fun.

But I expect, in all seriousness, that the Freeh-Feinstein view will fade.
Clinton is about to enter his lame duck phase, and sentiment seems to be
against mandatory key escrow. As one ironic example, the California state
legislature has voted unanimously, both houses, to send a message to
Washington urging easing of crypto exports.

Feinswine, being a Californian, might want to heed this. But, being a
Pacific Heights socialist, er, socialite, she's too clueless to have any
inkling what the issues are.

--Tim May

There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws.
Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!"
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."