So, the House is moving toward drastically tightening non-escrowed crypto use, via the export laws and the invocation of "national security considerations." And the Senate is moving toward a complete ban on non-escrowed crypto. The civil rights groups are now cut completely out of the picture. The only issue now is whether the full ban on crypto makes it into the compromise deal. (I'm bettting it won't, as this would be too bold even for Congress. On First and Fourth Amendment grounds, if nothing else.) But Something Big is coming down. Even if domestic strong crypto is not fully banned, expect a series of moves to make it very unpalatable for most upstanding citizen units to use. And corporations will be "disincentivized" to use crypto, except that approved by Washington. (I wonder what will happen to PGP, Inc. and RSADSI? And to MS and NS? Probably, cynics will suggest, they are already ramping up their "trusted third party" and "key recovery" efforts. If so, I hope Phil Z. adheres to the promise he made publically at a Cypherpunks meeting, and quits PGP, Inc.) At 11:54 AM -0700 9/10/97, Anonymous wrote:

Any bets that the double-secret guys nab a suitcase-nuke carrying dark-skinned person a few days before they need to win a crucial vote in the war against the citizens?

Yep, they need a Reichstag fire. To nudge any recalcitrant Congresscritters. I'm not (yet) paranoid enough to think the spooks would pull off another OKC or World Trade Center bombing. But arranging some convenient arrests would be par for the course. The Congress hopes to conclude business before the end of November, I've heard. The full Senate and House will likely vote on the final version of the "Children's Safety Act," the one which will throttle crypto exports still further, will criminalize crypto use to the point that few corporations will dare use it (this is the real strategy), and will move toward a complete ban on domestic unescrowed crypto. They'll need some dire threat or significant event to get the vote they want. I'm thinking it may involve us. The 5-6 months they've had to "debrief" Bell, to convince him that squealing on anarchists and information terrorists, and money laundering advovactes, and felons, could mean a series of indictments will come in October/November. Whether their charges will "stick" or not is not really the point, is it? The trial, if one is ever held, will take place many months or even years after the charges are filed. Personally, I say everyone who has been active in discussing how to destabilize and overthrow the fascist governments in Washington, Paris, Bonn, London, and so on should prepare. In the U.S., prepare for a series of pre-dawn raids. In the European People's Republics, I'm not sure what defensive measures are even possible. Perhaps I'm being overly paranoid. But even paranoid Cypherpunks have enemies...and I call them Freeh, McCain, Kerrey (and Kerry), Denning, Clinton, Dellums, Kyl, Swinestein, and all the rest of the war criminals. We're at war. --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."