Subject: Re: kuro5hin.org || Combating Terrorism Act of 2001 - Analyzed

[Declan McCullagh]

The analysis, such as it is, was superficial. Some kuro5hin articles
are worthwhile and thought-provoking; this, alas, was not in that
category.

Some problems with the article:

First, the bill did not pass "the legislature," just the Senate.
Second, the vote on the amendment was Thursday, not Friday. Third, it
was one session, not multiple "sessions." Fourth, it is hardly
"admirable that in this time of need partisan politics was [sic] put
aside" -- that's precisely what leads to bad legislation. Fifth, the
bill not not "been in the pipeline for two months" -- it was debated
in committee for far longer during hearings early this year. Sixth,
it does not "broadens the definition of wiretaps to mean monitoring of
communications over the Internet" -- Carnivore has already been used
under existing legal authority. Seventh, the constitutional analysis
is wrong -- the broadest protection of privacy found in the BoR is in
the Fourth Amendment, which isn't even mentioned, and which would be
used in a constutional attack on Carnivore.

The conclusion of this so-called analysis:

 "If we grant great powers to men of principle who we have trusted to
 lead us in times of national turmoil, and they don't loose [sic] sight
 of the righteous goal in front of them; then perhaps true good will
 come of this."

When "men of principle" are in the Senate? Leahy, who wrote CALEA?
What's this "righteous goal" -- supporting Bush in carpet-bombing
missions? What "true good" can come of this? What nonsense.

This is not a personal attack on the author, who I don't know and bear
no ill will toward. But if you really find simpleminded commentary
"mature," you're beyond contempt.

-Declan



On Tue, Sep 18, 2001 at 11:48:22PM +0000, citizenq at hushmail.com wrote:
> Actually I found the analysis more ... mature in outlook.  Less Wired.  Some stuff to agree with, some to disagree with.  Declan, did you read it?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> >Cc: hell at einstein.ssz.com, cypherpunks at einstein.ssz.com
> >Subject: Re: kuro5hin.org || Combating Terrorism Act of 2001 - Analyzed
> >
> >Relying on kuro5hin for political and legislative analysis is like relying
> >on the broadcast networks for in-depth reporting.
> >
> >-Declan
> >
> >
> >On Tue, Sep 18, 2001 at 07:57:55PM -0500, Jim Choate wrote:
> >> http://www.Kuro5hin.org/story/2001/9/17/22230/2697
> >> --