The trends are ominous. Outside of this forum and my contacts and sources, I've also been corresponding today with Whit Diffie, Jim Bidzos, John Gilmore, and Eric Hughes. How fast could a system happen? Depends on the nature of the "emergency," how far along the code is (my guess: not in the next several months), and all sorts of legal issues. The upcoming conference, which I just excerpted, suggests that international key escrow is very far along. The National Health Care thing could mandate a national ID card (called something else, of course), and this could happen shortly after enabling legislation passes. Combined with growing waves of illegal immigrants.... Anyway, it may or may not all fit together. But if all does, we could be facing the "mother of all Clippers." (The clipper of all mothers?) Here's a well-written piece on national ID cards. I found it in the cpsr group (see, Jim, we *do* read other newsgroups). I've made a few notes and marks, especially in sections mentioning the uses and timing that could fit with a new crypto initiative, such as SKE. --Tim Newsgroups: comp.org.cpsr.talk From: emery@tc.fluke.COM (John Emery) Subject: Re: National ID and "slippery slope" Message-ID: <CtMA76.9Bq@tc.fluke.COM> Date: Wed, 27 Jul 1994 20:57:02 GMT ...
From the news reports I've seen lately, it does appear we are heading toward a national ID card for all citizens. For instance, PC WEEK had a front page article on May 9th, a couple months ago entitled, "Postal Service, IRS developing national identity cards; Clinton may give OK":
"The Clinton administration is working on creating an identification card that every American will need to interact with any federal government agency. The card initiative came into the forefront at last month's CardTech/SecureTech Conference in Crystal City, Va..." "Sources close to the administration said President Clinton is also considering signing a pair of executive orders that would facilitate ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ the connection of individuals' bank accounts and federal records to ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ a government identification card..." "At the conference, postal representative Chuck Chamberlain outlined how an individual's U.S. Card would be automatically connected with the Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Treasury, the IRS, the banking system, and a central database of digital signatures ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ for use in authenticating E-mail and other transactions." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Tim: This would fit nicely with an SKE system, don't you think?) "While the U.S. Card is only a proposal, the Postal Service is prepared to put more than 100 million of the cards in citizens' pockets within months of administration approval, which could come at any time." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ As long as one doesn't interact with the Postal Service (e.g. doesn't use mail), the IRS (doesn't earn taxable income), and doesn't have a bank account then it won't be a "must carry" card. However, this doesn't include very many people in America. Another source says "Digital Media reports that the Clinton administration is laying plans to create an encoded national identity card. Every citizen would be obliged to use the new "U.S. Card" in all dealings with any federal agency and in 'virtually every other legally binding electronic transaction made by U.S. citizens.'" "...To further increase electronic surveillance of citizens, Clinton has reportedly prepared two executive orders that would allow the IRS to monitor personal bank accounts and 'automatically collect taxes based on the results." ("Clinton readies national identity card," _Strategic Investment_, June 22, 1994, p. 2) The Seattle Times reported on July 13, 1994 that "The United States, in a response to its ability to control illegal immigration, may soon ask every American to carry a national identity card..." So the answer is yes, it is intended to be a national ID card. I find it hard to believe that every citizen will not have to carry one of these cards. For all practical purposes, given these proposals implemented, it would be quite inconvenient to leave home without it. This is something that we should all take seriously. -- John Emery emery@tc.fluke.COM -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero 408-688-5409 | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."