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Burns bill?
It has been over a month since we first heard that Burns was going to
introduce a bill to free up encryption software exports. It isn't here,
yet, as you may have noticed. However, I don't think that's the real
problem. The real problem is that we have seen essentially no information
on it, and we (by we, I mean the entire Internet community) have not had an
opportunity to study it and comment BEFORE it is introduced in Congress.
See, the usual practice of introducing it in Congress first and only then
letting the public see the bill is, by my way of thinking, an example of
extreme rudeness on the part of the politicians. Bills are far easier to
change before they've been officially filed, which I suppose is the point.
We're not getting the opportunity to fix minor mistakes, or at least make
Burns (or any other supporter) aware of them. This is a glaring "take it or
leave it" philosophy, one that we should reject. Does he really intend to
insult us?
I see no reason to believe that Burns should be able to produce an adequate
bill with the assistance of only industry lobbyists, but not the help of
other citizens of varying degrees of expertise. Burns should immediately
release the text of the bill developed up until now, and then wait at least
a few weeks before introducing it formally, after changes are proposed,
considered, and accepted.
Jim Bell
[email protected]
Jim Bell
[email protected]