re suggestions for escrow agencies was re more technical details in article c y k vcd hp com johne vcd hp com john eaton writes paul robichaux robichau lambda msfc nasa gov wrote as a private citizen i would feel much more secure in my person and papers knowing that an organization committed to individual civil liberties the aclu and the nra come to mind was safeguarding half of my key both the aclu and the nra are resistent to government pressure by the simple expedient fact that they are not supported funded or overtly controlled by the government thats one problem that has so far been overlooked these two escrow agencies will have to create a secure database and service the input and output of keys who pays for this if they refuse an illegal request from some congressman to deliver a key can their budget by cut to punish them will congress be forced to fund them forever congress isn t forced to do anything not even follow their own rules if it isn t expedient if caught with their collective pants down they make some funny noises perhaps crucify a skapegoat or two then continue business as usual i notice those senators involved with the s l scandal weren t hurt too much if at all deconcini s personal stake in suppliers to those big aerostats hasn t affected his credibility at all inside congress at least he is still pushing his police state agenda the problem is that laws can change congress may pass a law setting up an escrow agency with instructions that keys are private some future congress may change that law suppose pre nazi germany had a clipper system do you think the escrow agencies would have told hitler that he could not have the keys without a valid court order it will be like the old saw in new jersey and new york chicago etc when the politicians promised that this spiffy new gun registration law will not be used for future confiscation purposes sure enough a few years later when they were used just for that purpose and folks complained the response was well i didn t make that promise some politicians may not even wait a few years escrowed keys would have the same assurances of security besides if someone wants to snoop how are you to know you don t think they will send you a letter saying we are now snooping on your private conversations do you what are the assurances the escrow people will not be forbidden to report any access attempts for one s keys so much for government assurances of privacy in effect you must set up escrow agencies as a fourth branch of the goverment and isolate them from any outside interferance they will be able to directly tap into federal funds with no accountability to anyone except through a court challenge how the feds will just change the law or just ignore it nothing new here they got the muscle the resources the guns as an aside since export of crypto is verboten because of itar shouldn t the second amendment also come into play here john eaton hp vcd johne pat rwing uucp without prejudice ucc pat myrto seattle wa if all else fails try uunet pilchuck rwing pat wisdom only two things are infinite the universe and human stupidity and i am not sure about the former albert einstien
