Re: Why does the state still stand:

["E. ALLEN SMITH" <EALLENSMITH@ocelot.Rutgers.EDU>]

From:	IN%"jimbell@pacifier.com"  "jim bell" 18-MAY-1996 02:54:47.09
>On the other hand, the government also has enormous "obligations" that keep 
>it close to bankruptcy.  It wouldn't take a great deal of interference in 
>its ability to collect taxes to put it solidly in the red based on current 
>receipts.  And remember, if the individuals who populate government could be 
>persuaded that their tenure would be forcibly shortened if they didn't 
>resign, they wouldn't stick around.  Once that cohesiveness of jointly 
>sucking on the government tit is eliminated, I think they'll cut and run.   
>These people are working for a fat paycheck and the promise of a retirement 
>package, and it wouldn't take much convincing to show them that they won't 
>get either for very long.  I'm convinced that's why so many Senators and 

	While quite a lot of people in the government are working just for
the paycheck, there are also some idealists - and some who are working for a
"power paycheck" rather than a "cash paycheck." I'm willing to bet that that's
the case with the NSA and its _general_ opposition to cryptography. You'll have
three basic groups:
	A. Those who are idealists. This can be divided into two categories.
		1. Those who idealize the power of government, such as via a
			devotion to democracy. These oppose cryptography
			because it weakens the government.
		2. Those who are primarily interested in protecting America
			from everyone else. These promote cryptography, and
			need to be supported.
		3. Those who (stupidly) believe in the US government enough
			to "just follow orders," as the Nuremberg phrase goes.
			If you can get the type 2 idealists in power, these
			will do the right thing.
	B. Those who want power. These oppose cryptography because they will
lose power if it is widely implemented.
	C. Those who are just there to get a paycheck. These will act in most
situations about like an idealist of type 3, but when push comes to shove won't
be willing to back it up seriously.
	I'd appreciate feedback from anyone who's dealt with the intelligence
community more than I have (not particularly difficult) to confirm or deny the
above classification system, and give some idea as to the proportions within
the NSA, government in general, etcetera.
	-Allen