At 09:34 AM 9/26/97 -0700, Tim May wrote:

The larger issue is that the CDT/VTW "players" are showing their willingness to trade away the civil liberties of us all for a few minor tidbits thrown (they think) to corporate sponsors.

In fact, the problem is not corporate sponsors. Rather the problem is that lobbying groups often tend to get captured by the government. They want to get their fingerprints on legislation, so that they can extort money from their corporate sponsors, and are therefore eager to do the politicians bidding in any way whatever in order that they can get their fingerprints on any legislation whatever. This problem is unrelated to civil liberties issues. Lobby groups for the milk industry, small business, etc, are infamous for selling out the interests of the businesses that support them. I am not saying that the CDT is guilty of this, but the fact it persists in trying to get legislation passed under present circumstances should not only alarm civil libertarians, it should also alarm big business.

Those who work near Washington tend to get pulled into this power vortex. They become functionaries, advisors, consultants, lobbyists, or even, sometimes, elected politicians themselves.

This is probably why EFF belatedly realized that their soul was being lost and got the hell out. That so few news magazines delved into this is telling.]

My congratulations to EFF, who I have vigorously flamed in the past. I hope that one day I will be able to similarly congratulate the CDT. --------------------------------------------------------------------- | We have the right to defend ourselves | http://www.jim.com/jamesd/ and our property, because of the kind | of animals that we are. True law | James A. Donald derives from this right, not from the | arbitrary power of the state. | jamesd@echeque.com