--- begin forwarded text Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 10:45:29 -0600 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Robert Huddleston <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: IP: Clinton comes after the Internet by Joseph Farah Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: Robert Huddleston <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_btl/19990809_xcbtl_clinton_co.shtml WorldNetDaily MONDAY AUGUST 09 1999 between the lines Joseph Farah ---------- WND Exclusive Commentary ---------- Clinton comes after the Internet by Joseph Farah ---------- Well, it was a long time coming, but Bill Clinton has finally made his move on the Internet. Late last week, when reporters and members of Congress were going home for the weekend, he issued one of his now-famous executive orders -- this one on "Internet conduct." Like almost all such orders, it will sound quite innocuous on a quick first read. But these guys in the Clinton administration are clever. This action sets up a working group of top U.S. officials to study the whole concept of policing the Internet. No, Clinton doesn't use that word, but that's clearly the intent of this order -- the establishment of a national Internet police force. But if you catch that much -- and few will -- then the wording of this order is designed to make you relax because the working group is simply going to write a report! We all know government reports don't kill people, right? Nobody gets hurt by a government report unless they drop it on you. However, let's take a look at what's being studied here: No. 1 -- How the federal government can insinuate itself into this revolutionary new medium. And, No. 2 -- How new technology tools, capabilities or legal authorities may be required for effective investigation and prosecution. Let me repeat that last purpose behind this working group and this executive order in the actual language used by Clinton: "The extent to which new technology tools, capabilities, or legal authorities may be required for effective investigation and prosecution of unlawful conduct that involves the use of the Internet." Get it? "New technology" equals spying tools. "Capabilities" means surveillance capabilities. And "legal authorities" means Internet police. You've got to understand the bureaucratic jargon here. Think of me as your Clintonese translator. Remember, this is a man who questions what the word "is" means. You've got to leave this to the professionals -- and that means me. Now here's the other scary part of this executive order. Normally with these task forces, the president allows a year or more for study and reports. Not this time. Guess what his deadline is? "The Working Group shall complete its work to the greatest extent possible and present its report and recommendations to the President and Vice President within 120 days of the date of this order," the executive order states. What! That means the report must be prepared before the end of the year. I would suggest to you that this means the report is already drafted. I would suggest further evidence for that conclusion is that Clinton is also requiring the committee to circulate the report to federal agencies well before it comes to the White House. Why would he do that? Because the White House has already seen it. The White House has written it. Who's going to be a part of this working group? The chairman is Janet Reno, and the members are most of the important Cabinet officers. Do you really think those guys and gals could draft a report on policing the Internet in less than 120 days? Uh-uh. Something's up here, folks. Something smells really foul. Now what do you suppose is in that future report? Hillary once told us the Internet needed gatekeepers and controls. "We are all going to have to rethink how we deal with this, because there are all these competing values," Hillary said last year. She also deplored the fact that the Internet lacks "any kind of editing function or gatekeeping function." I think Clinton's about to make his move on our last best hope for freedom -- the Internet. Methinks the Internet is about to get an official editor or a government gatekeeper. ********************************************** To subscribe or unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: (un)subscribe ignition-point email@address ********************************************** <www.telepath.com/believer> ********************************************** --- end forwarded text ----------------- Robert A. Hettinga <mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'
