Clinton's draconian computer control plans

[DC]

3 articles:

1) http://www.insightmag.com/articles/story1.html
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Enemies of the
State

By James P. Lucier


In a clash between the authoritarian state and the
libertarian vision, the Clinton administration is
seeking draconian control of computers and
encryption.

irginia's soft-spoken four-term Republican
congressman, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, may come
out of a no-nonsense town in the Blue Ridge, but
he has taken on virtually the entire defense
establishment, the intelligence community and even
the FBI with his bill HR850, the Security and Freedom
through Encryption Act, or SAFE. It is a simple
concept, and it has 258 cosponsors in the House.
What SAFE would do is guarantee every American
the freedom to use any type of cryptography
anywhere in the world and allow the sale of any type
of encryption domestically. Not such a big deal, is it?
How many Americans go around writing secret
messages in disappearing ink after they grow up?
. . . . Actually, it is one of those edge-defying,
generation-splitting, turn-the-world-upside-down
moments in history. It is a struggle between two
different visions of American society. One side sees
the private use of encryption as a way to safeguard
the records and property of U.S. citizens from the
prying eyes of computer hackers, thieves, terrorists
and the U.S. government. The other side is the U.S.
government, which sees itself as the guarantor of
security in the newly discovered land of cyberspace.
And to provide that security the government says it
has to have the power, at any given moment, to look
into anyone's e-mail, bank accounts, financial
transactions, information exports and dangerous
ideas. Our whole practice of governing is based on
geographic concepts -- jurisdiction in delineated
districts, authority flowing from citizens voting by
precinct, taxes based on property in a given place or
on salaries reported to and scrutinized by powerful
agencies....(more)[/quote]


2) http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2318229,00.html
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Furor rising over PC wiretap plan

Civil libertarians, trade groups outraged by
DOJ proposal that would 'booby-trap' PCs.
But will Congress go 'ballistic'?...(more)[/quote]

3) http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_metcalf/19990823_xcgme_the_doj_bo.shtml
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>The DOJ booby trap


A common theme both here at WorldNetDaily and on
the air with talk radio has been incrementalism:
government's slow, consistent chipping away at the very
foundations of liberty and freedom upon which this
country was founded.

The list of grievances delineated in our Declaration of
Independence included the various "usurpations" the
colonists had suffered at the hand of a tyrannical King
George.

Liberty and freedom have been the nexus of myriad
rebellions, revolutions, and academic philosophical
debates. From the fields of Scotland to the moors of
England, and from the original 13 colonies to the
Balkans, liberty and freedom, even more than home and
hearth, have been principles worth fighting for, worth
sacrificing for, and even worth dying for.

Revisionist anti-constitutional, would-be controllers
continue to use the incrementalism tools to erode,
undermine and abrogate the very Constitution to which
they have sworn an oath...(more)[/quote]

------------------
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!

 

[TR]

I think they are starting to jump the gun (no pun intended) in a number of areas. They think they have the "gun lobby" on the run (after all, look at us out here in CA) so now they want your other rights also. Fourth amendment, fifth amendment, first amendment; all seem to be under fire more and more as further restrictions on firearms are put into place.

Does anyone else see a bit of a pattern here?

Oh and hurrah for the congressman and his co-sponsors, but it may be like spitting into the wind.

Perhaps we can "make a deal" with some of these folks. Support our measures to get rid of the Lautenberg amendment, and other GC laws, and we'll help get this bill allowing cryptographic software passed. (not that we shouldn't anyway, but let's try and get something out of it)

 

[Ivan8883]

Until the day the Federal Corportate State (US GOvt.) is pushed back to the DC area and Puerto Rico, it will successfully continue to grow into a even bigger monster until it devours us all. The fifty states somehow have to band together to turn the tide,but how is the question. I used to be opposed to a Constitutional Convention ,but perhaps that is the peoples best choice. Why keep begging a crooked Senate and House to alleviate our sufferings when we all know for sure that all branches of government work together to enslave the people. In fact ,under a Republican Congress, things have continued to get worse in this country in every field. A Constitutional Convention is legal(rtwo thirds ratification by states to have one) and , at this desparate point in American History, may be our only chance to prevent either domestic or foreign dictatorship.

 

[ctdonath]

Ivan:

NO.

There is no need to change the Constitution. It's fine.

What _is_ needed is the identification and removal of the illegal laws, like those preventing normal responsible people from exercising their rights in a normal and responsible way.

 

[Ground Level]

Constitutional Convention:

You do not want this if you are not in control of the process. Gain reasonable control of the house and senate, get a reasonable couple in the presidency, get a decent group on the Supreme Court, then maybe, and only then maybe consider a constitutional convention.

If "they" are already ignoring and violating the rule of law, imagine what would happen if they got a blank slate to make new rules.

Never start a battle unless you are reasonably certain of the outcome.

 

[Dennis]

The problem is NOT the Constitution.

The problem is our government *ignores* the Constitution.

We need to reclaim our government and our country and return to Constitutional rule.

And the Republicans and Democrats are the problem - NOT the solution!

[This message has been edited by Dennis (edited August 24, 1999).]

 

[nebob]

when i was a kid growing up in the 50's and 60's, it was always inferred that republicans were the big brother party and the democrats were for freedom for the little guy.
now a democratic president and justice dept. are the closest thing this country has ever had to a communist totalitarian government.
the problem with the republicans today is that they are basically cowards. they are afraid of looking bad on the news.