Re: Government shows its hand...good news!

[Declan McCullagh <declan@pathfinder.com>]

I won't comment on Tim's second possibility, but the amendment added to
SAFE today by one committee //prohibits// judicial review. So much for the
Supremes likely to strike it down.

-Declan



On Mon, 8 Sep 1997, Tim May wrote:

> 
> 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."
> 
> 
> 
> 
>