ditz in office

>From: cowen@glia.biostr.washington.edu
>
>now i wish i had not voted for the ditz in office.

I wish everyone who voted either Republican or Democrat instead of
Libertarian because they didn't want their vote to be wasted would take a
moment to consider how their vote would have meant any less if they had
voted for Andre Marrou and Nancy Lord in '92.

Also, those who do not vote because they feel it just encourages the
bastards should consider voting Libertarian next time.

And those who voted for Perot as a protest, why not vote for freedom
next time?

tw

> >now i wish i had not voted for the ditz in office.
> 
> I wish everyone who voted either Republican or Democrat instead of
> Libertarian because they didn't want their vote to be wasted would take a
> moment to consider how their vote would have meant any less if they had
> voted for Andre Marrou and Nancy Lord in '92.

I'm still reasonably satisfied to have voted for Clinton. I don't think
any of this stuff would have been any different if any other candidate had
been elected.


--Mike

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>>>>> "Mike" == Mike Godwin <mnemonic@eff.org> writes:

    Mike> I'm still reasonably satisfied to have voted for Clinton. I
    Mike> don't think any of this stuff would have been any different
    Mike> if any other candidate had been elected.

I think that these proposals would still be coming from the government
if Bush had been re-elected, but that they would generate more opposition,
which would, to me, be a Good Thing.

It is an unfortunate fact that in this country, people often react
differently to an idea, depending on who produces it. I have spoken
to people who really TRUST Clinton, and who have no objection to clipper
and the wiretap bill, until you remind them the the Republicans could
be in office again someday. Then they go "Oh, yeah. That would be a
problem"

There is also the partisan issue. It would be much easier to muster
opposition in Congress if the majority party was not the same as the
party of the administration.


Linn H. Stanton <stanton@acm.org>

The above opinions are exclusively my own. If anyone else wants them,
they can buy them from me. Easy terms can be arranged.
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Linn Stanton writes:

> It is an unfortunate fact that in this country, people often react
> differently to an idea, depending on who produces it. I have spoken
> to people who really TRUST Clinton, and who have no objection to clipper
> and the wiretap bill, until you remind them the the Republicans could
> be in office again someday. Then they go "Oh, yeah. That would be a
> problem"
 
I don't detect any less opposition to Clipper and Digital Telephony from
Clinton supporters than from Clinton opponents. Quite the opposite, if you
want to know the truth.


--Mike

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>>>>> "Mike" == Mike Godwin <mnemonic@eff.org> writes:

    Mike> I don't detect any less opposition to Clipper and Digital
    Mike> Telephony from Clinton supporters than from Clinton
    Mike> opponents. Quite the opposite, if you want to know the
    Mike> truth.

Exactly.

This is how I see it (all numbers made up for illustration):

If Clipper/Digital Telephony are proposed by Clinton, 60% of Democrats
and 70% of Republicans will support.

If Clipper/Digital Telephony are proposed by a Republican, 40% of Democrats
and 80% of Republicans will support.


Linn H. Stanton <stanton@acm.org>

The above opinions are exclusively my own. If anyone else wants them,
they can buy them from me. Easy terms can be arranged.
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Mike Godwin writes:

> Linn Stanton writes:
> 
> > It is an unfortunate fact that in this country, people often react
> > differently to an idea, depending on who produces it. I have spoken
> > to people who really TRUST Clinton, and who have no objection to clipper
> > and the wiretap bill, until you remind them the the Republicans could
> > be in office again someday. Then they go "Oh, yeah. That would be a
> > problem"
>  
> I don't detect any less opposition to Clipper and Digital Telephony from
> Clinton supporters than from Clinton opponents. Quite the opposite, if you
> want to know the truth.

I tend to agree with Mike here. Playing the "what if" game, had Bush
won, the Clipper thing would still be rolling along (remember that it was
started long ago, probably in the mid 80s). The arguments against it
would have a slightly different flavor, the Right would be more
mollified, and the Left would be screaming about a police state.

Perhaps more Congressional opposition to Clipper would've emerged if
Bush were Prez, but we don't know. I'm hopeful that the
Congresscritters will eventually realize that the foundations of a
police state are being laid with things like Digital Telephony
(proposed first under Bush, of course) and the 31 flavors of Clipper,
Capstone, and Tessera.

The real problem is not Republican vs. Democrat, but the concentration
of more and more economic and political power in the hands of the
State and the continual erosion of individual liberties. But you've
heard some of us talk about this before, so I'll stop.


--Tim May


-- 
..........................................................................
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