Scenario for a Ban on Cash Transactions

Cypherpunks of the World, I'm relatively convinced that the various "trial balloons" for restricting the use of encryption are part and parcel of a larger, albeit not formally discussed, plan to adopt some form of a digital cash system. Before your start cheering, it is highly unlikely that this system will the "digital cash" system of the form we have been discussing (anonymous transactions, untraceability, David Chaum-style systems, etc.). My grim scenario is contained in the message below, which I just posted to another list, the "Extropians" list. --Tim May Forwarded message: