From: Mark Hedges <hedges@sirius.infonex.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 09:34:22 +0800
To: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
Subject: Re: politics aren't all or nothing
In-Reply-To: <v0300780db0476ec4e917@[168.161.105.141]>
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.96.970918180738.29000a-100000@sirius.infonex.com>
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On Thu, 18 Sep 1997, Declan McCullagh wrote:
>
>In fact, I could see Tim May arguing if they understand the implications of
>crypto, they'll //definitely// vote the wrong way.

Yes, there I was possibly wrong in using M. May as an example in the
"politicians aren't stupid / smart people must do good" line. Still, in
the line of "let's not nuke Washington", it was appropriate.

>Sure, you got //someone's// attention. From an $18,000-a-year

They authorize their junior staffers to use their name? Lame!

>>While skimming their web pages looking for information, I found one or two
>>senators and congress reps who actually offer PGP keys on their web pages!
>
>So they have well-informed staffers. So what?

It indicates they are concerned about the security of their
communications. Now, the trick is to convince them that escrow hampers
security of communications through the single point of failure problem.

"Let's just say we want to avoid any Imperial entanglements."

"Well, uh, that's the real trick, isn't it...and it's gonna cost you
something extra."

>Senator Leahy is also the fellow who brokered the Digital Telephony deal

Ah, more research is necessary. I printed his stuff but haven't read it
yet. There was one, though, who even had a blue ribbon on their web page.
I've forgotten who.

>>possession a testimony that a defense and intelligence _scholar_ says that
>>the spooks are wrong, they may be able to start turning the tide.
>
>Not quite. Even if they have it, it is (a) difficult to vote against
>national security and child porn and (b) even more difficult to get
>anywhere in this town if you offend law enforcement, national security, or
>the defense communities. Let alone all three.

I think a good tactic is to say to them "it's more difficult to vote
against the vast majority of your constituents" and use examples like
public opinion polls (are there any?) and California Legislature's SJR-29
(unanimous memorialization of Clinton and Congress to relax export
controls). 

In related news, Vasconcellos, the author of SJR-29 and SB-1133 (a strong
crypto promotion bill) is to announce soon if he will vie for the
Democratic nominee for California Governor. He'd be up against current Lt. 
Governor Gray Davis, whose views contrast a little with Pete Wilson's but
not too much. 

>Besides, they've had the NRC report for a year and a half. It's hardly in
>favor of mandatory key escrow rules, and it's co-authored by some spooks.
>Think that changed anything? Guess again.

Does anyone know who is behind this crap that the Empire's pushing on the
committees? Louis Freeh is the only name I've heard. I've not heard
Tenet's name mentioned in any of this. It would be interesting to research
the other people involved, to try to find some dirt.

Mark Hedges