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