Date: Mon, 3 Oct 1994 19:06:39 -0700 From: Jim Warren Subject: GovAccess.065: Govt peeping plans; email-fax; demo-net; donor-hiding HAVE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE? REG DEADLINE'S REAL SOON, NOW (or passed?). Tuesday, Nov. 8th is Election Day. ------------------------------ INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE TO AID GOVT TRACKING OF CITIZENS' FINANCES >From farber@eff.org Fri Sep 30 18:16:22 1994 Farber added: your milage may vary in what you read into the stuff. Web users try htpd://iitf.doc.gov Path: netnews.upenn.edu!news.amherst.edu!news.mtholyoke.edu!world!mkj From: mkj@world.std.com Everybody knows that Al Gore is hot on this "National Information Infrastructure" thing. What many people may not fully appreciate -- or at least, what I'm just discovering myself -- is the sheer enormity of the disaster going on as we speak, under the banner of the "Information Infrastructure Task Force" (IITF). If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend an enlightening browse on the iitf.doc.gov site (ftp & gopher at standard ports, http at port 70). ^^^^^^^^^^^^ (NOTE: Individuals in fragile health should always consult a physician before exposing themselves to detailed information about their government's activities. Have you ever felt like an ant in the path of a steamroller? YOU WILL ...) Although I've barely scratched the surface, I've already run across a number of items which might be of interest to folks here. The DOE, for instance, reports that they are working on "Developing electronic cash systems that would maintain the privacy of individuals from merchants and banks, but would allow law enforcement to trace the flow of the electronic cash, given proper court orders." Other spectacularly dubious achievements include the report of the Privacy Working Group, which never once acknowledges any individual right to privacy, and in fact devotes most of their report to various ways to increase the "willingness" of the public to divulge personal data; and the draft report of the Intellectual Property Working Group, which with a straight face characterizes most current Internet activity as illegal, and then goes on to outlaw the rest of it, while blandly noting that the public will require "education" in these matters. Also, of course, there are any number of hints of NII projects involving various intelligence agencies. ------------------------------ TOOLS FOR THOSE IN POWER: UNDETECTABLE WIRETAPS MOVE CLOSER TO REALITY >From shabbir@panix.com Fri Sep 30 07:29:02 1994 [modified by me. --jim] From: "Shabbir J. Safdar" [If you only have 2 minutes, skip down to "What You Can Do".] WHAT ARE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S WIRETAPPING BILLS? The fed's Wiretap bills (also known as the DT - Digital Telephony bills) mandate that *all* communications carriers must provide wiretap-ready equipment so that all agencies can more easily implement all authorized wiretaps. The costs of re-engineering all communications equipment will be borne by the government, industry and consumers. The bill is vague and the standards defining "wiretap ready" do not exist. Furthermore, the govt has yet to make a case which demonstrates that they have been unable to implement a single wiretap. Although we as a society have generally accepted government's need to perform wiretaps, it is not reasonable to mandate this functionality as a part of system design. In itself, that would be an important balance. However without any proof that this is indeed a realistic and present problem, it is unacceptable and premature to pass this legislation today. The Voters Telecomm Watch (VTW) does not believe the government has made a compelling case to justify why all Americans should give up their privacy. Furthermore, the VTW does not believe the case has been made to justify spending 500 million Federal dollars or much more over the next 4 years to re-engineer equipment to compromise personal privacy, interfere with telecommunications privacy, and fulfill an unproven government need. BILL STATUS Both the House and the Senate Judiciary Committees have reported the bills out of committee. The Senate version was slightly amended to address some issues of cost, but not significantly enough to change the inherently bad nature of the bill. Although there is only a little bit of time left in the session, there is a move afoot to end-run the normal judicial process. Because of the subtlety and speed with which the FBI's Louis Freeh and the bills' sponsors are working, it may already be too late by the time you read this. Waste no time in acting. Backers of the bill are frantically trying to get unanimous approval in the Senate so they won't have to bring the bill before a normal floor debate. This would allow it to be passed quickly and without meaningful debate. This would be akin to a "midnight passage". The administration has not yet made public their case data explaining why they need this bill. Furthermore, the bill has been rushed through the process so quickly that adequate public debate has not taken place. The public needs to weigh both sides of this. We need to see this data. This is not an issue to be taken lightly. WHAT YOU CAN DO Faxes are best, phone calls are second best; email is probably not the greatest method of contact. Congress just doesn't handle email well yet. Unless this bill is stopped in the House or Senate, it will become law since President Clinton is certain to sign it. Don't let this bill pass the Senate without adequate debate. Contact your Senators and Representative and ask them to oppose the bill because there has not been adequate public debate. Step 1. Conclude which state you're in. :-) Find your two Senators on the lists appended. Step 2. Pick up the phone or type up your letter. Step 3. Express your opinion. If you're at a loss for words, use our sample communique below: SAMPLE PHONE CALL The government is trying to rush through its wiretap bill (SB 2375 & HR 4922) much too quickly, without disclosing their evidence to prove the need for this bill. The public cannot adequately assess the balance between government surveillance needs and the sacrifice of the public's privacy. Please oppose SB 2375/HR 4922. SAMPLE FAX Dear Honorable _______________, The administration's Digital Telephony bills (SB 2375/HR 4922) are being rushed through Congress much too quickly, without making available their proported data to support these bills. We, the public, cannot adequately assess whether or not this bill is an acceptable balance between privacy and numerous agencys' need to wiretap. I have done my part to be fair with government agencies. I have long traded some of my privacy in return for giving them the tools they find useful and expedient in performing their duties. However they need to be fair to me as well, and allow public debate with their evidence presented, so I can assess whether I agree with this massive new surveillance power they seek. This bill significantly expand government's powers. No longer would agencies have merely the *right* to attempt wiretapping. They would (under this bill) have that ability built into every communications system. I urge you to oppose these Wiretapping bills (SB 2375/HR 4922). Step 4. Feel good about yourself. You've just participated in democracy without leaving your seat. Step 5. [Extra special bonus step for activists :-] Before you hang up, ask your legislator's staff member what their position is on SB 2375/HR 4922. It's not an unreasonable question, they were elected to represent people like you. Mail the answer to vtw@vtw.org. For more information about the Digital Telephony bills, check the Voters Telecomm Watch gopher site (gopher.panix.com) or contact Steven Cherry, VTW Press Contact at (718) 596-2851 or stc@vtw.org. VTW posts a Digital Telephony FAQ monthly to several Usenet newsgroups including comp.org.cpsr.talk and comp.org.eff.talk. Look for it or contact us at vtw@vtw.org for a copy. Complete list of Senators: [Faxless senators don't represent *us*! --jim] p st name phone fax = == ======================== ============== ============== R AK Murkowski, Frank H. 1-202-224-6665 1-202-224-5301 R AK Stevens, Ted 1-202-224-3004 1-202-224-1044 D AL Heflin, Howell T. 1-202-224-4124 1-202-224-3149 D AL Shelby, Richard C. 1-202-224-5744 1-202-224-3416 D AR Bumpers, Dale 1-202-224-4843 1-202-224-6435 D AR Pryor, David 1-202-224-2353 na D AZ DeConcini, Dennis 1-202-224-4521 1-202-224-2302 R AZ McCain, John 1-202-224-2235 na D CA Boxer, Barbara 1-202-224-3553 na D CA Feinstein, Diane 1-202-224-3841 na D CO Campbell, Ben N. 1-202-225-4761 1-202-225-0228 R CO Brown, Henry 1-202-224-5941 na D CT Dodd, Christopher J. 1-202-224-2823 na D CT Lieberman, Joseph I. 1-202-224-4041 1-202-224-9750 D DE Biden Jr., Joseph R. 1-202-224-5042 na Note: Sen. Biden is a co-sponsor of the bill R DE Roth Jr., William V. 1-202-224-2441 1-202-224-2805 D FL Graham, Robert 1-202-224-3041 na R FL Mack, Connie 1-202-224-5274 1-202-224-8022 D GA Nunn, Samuel 1-202-224-3521 1-202-224-0072 R GA Coverdell, Paul 1-202-224-3643 na D HI Akaka, Daniel K. 1-202-224-6361 1-202-224-2126 D HI Inouye, Daniel K. 1-202-224-3934 1-202-224-6747 D IA Harkin, Thomas 1-202-224-3254 1-202-224-7431 R IA Grassley, Charles E. 1-202-224-3744 na R ID Craig, Larry E. 1-202-224-2752 1-202-224-2573 R ID Kempthorne, Dirk 1-202-224-6142 1-202-224-5893 D IL Moseley-Braun, Carol 1-202-224-2854 na D IL Simon, Paul 1-202-224-2152 1-202-224-0868 R IN Coats, Daniel R. 1-202-224-5623 1-202-224-8964 R IN Lugar, Richard G. 1-202-224-4814 na R KS Dole, Robert 1-202-224-6521 1-202-224-8952 R KS Kassebaum, Nancy L. 1-202-224-4774 1-202-224-3514 D KY Ford, Wendell H. 1-202-224-4343 na R KY McConnell, Mitch 1-202-224-2541 1-202-224-2499 D LA Breaux, John B. 1-202-224-4623 na D LA Johnston, J. Bennett 1-202-224-5824 na D MA Kennedy, Edward M. 1-202-224-4543 1-202-224-2417 D MA Kerry, John F. 1-202-224-2742 na D MD Mikulski, Barbara A. 1-202-224-4654 1-202-224-8858 D MD Sarbanes, Paul S. 1-202-224-4524 1-202-224-1651 D ME Mitchell, George J. 1-202-224-5344 na R ME Cohen, William S. 1-202-224-2523 1-202-224-2693 D MI Levin, Carl 1-202-224-6221 na D MI Riegle Jr., Donald 1-202-224-4822 1-202-224-8834 D MN Wellstone, Paul 1-202-224-5641 1-202-224-8438 R MN Durenberger, David 1-202-224-3244 na R MO Bond, Christopher S. 1-202-224-5721 1-202-224-8149 R MO Danforth, John C. 1-202-224-6154 na R MS Cochran, Thad 1-202-224-5054 na R MS Lott, Trent 1-202-224-6253 1-202-224-2262 D MT Baucus, Max 1-202-224-2651 na R MT Burns, Conrad R. 1-202-224-2644 1-202-224-8594 R NC Faircloth, D. M. 1-202-224-3154 1-202-224-7406 R NC Helms, Jesse 1-202-224-6342 na D ND Conrad, Kent 1-202-224-2043 na D ND Dorgan, Byron L. 1-202-225-2611 1-202-225-9436 D NE Exon, J. J. 1-202-224-4224 na D NE Kerrey, Joseph R. 1-202-224-6551 1-202-224-7645 R NH Gregg, Judd 1-202-224-3324 na R NH Smith, Robert 1-202-224-2841 1-202-224-1353 D NJ Bradley, William 1-202-224-3224 1-202-224-8567 D NJ Lautenberg, Frank R. 1-202-224-4744 1-202-224-9707 D NM Bingaman, Jeff 1-202-224-5521 na R NM Domenici, Pete V. 1-202-224-6621 1-202-224-7371 D NV Bryan, Richard H. 1-202-224-6244 na D NV Reid, Harry 1-202-224-3542 1-202-224-7327 D NY Moynihan, Daniel P. 1-202-224-4451 1-202-224-9293 R NY D'Amato, Alfonse M. 1-202-224-6542 1-202-224-5871 D OH Glenn, John 1-202-224-3353 na D OH Metzenbaum, Howard 1-202-224-2315 1-202-224-6519 D OK Boren, David L. 1-202-224-4721 na R OK Nickles, Donald 1-202-224-5754 1-202-224-6008 R OR Hatfield, Mark O. 1-202-224-3753 na R OR Packwood, Robert 1-202-224-5244 na D PA Wofford, Harris 1-202-224-6324 1-202-224-4161 R PA Specter, Arlen 1-202-224-4254 na D RI Pell, Claiborne 1-202-224-4642 1-202-224-4680 R RI Chafee, John H. 1-202-224-2921 na D SC Hollings, Ernest F. 1-202-224-6121 na R SC Thurmond, Strom 1-202-224-5972 1-202-224-1300 D SD Daschle, Thomas A. 1-202-224-2321 1-202-224-2047 R SD Pressler, Larry 1-202-224-5842 1-202-224-1630 D TN Mathews, Harlan 1-202-224-1036 1-202-228-3679 D TN Sasser, James 1-202-224-3344 na R TX Hutchison, Kay Bailey 1-202-224-5922 1-202-224-0776 R TX Gramm, Phil 1-202-224-2934 na R UT Bennett, Robert 1-202-224-5444 na R UT Hatch, Orrin G. 1-202-224-5251 1-202-224-6331 D VA Robb, Charles S. 1-202-224-4024 1-202-224-8689 R VA Warner, John W. 1-202-224-2023 1-202-224-6295 D VT Leahy, Patrick J. 1-202-224-4242 na Note: Sen. Leahy is the sponsor of the bill R VT Jeffords, James M. 1-202-224-5141 na D WA Murray, Patty 1-202-224-2621 1-202-224-0238 R WA Gorton, Slade 1-202-224-3441 1-202-224-9393 D WI Feingold, Russell 1-202-224-5323 na D WI Kohl, Herbert H. 1-202-224-5653 na D WV Byrd, Robert C. 1-202-224-3954 1-202-224-4025 D WV Rockefeller, John D. 1-202-224-6472 1-202-224-1689 R WY Simpson, Alan K. 1-202-224-3424 1-202-224-1315 R WY Wallop, Malcolm 1-202-224-6441 1-202-224-3230 ------------------------------ FREE EMAIL-TO-FAX SERVICES - TO WASHINGTOONTOWN AND ELSEWHERE >From aahz@netcom.com Sat Oct 1 06:47:50 1994 Now you can send fax from your computer just like sending an email! For example, assume your correspondent's fax number is 14159682510. His internet address is then : remote-printer.firstname_Name@0.1.5.2.8.6.9.5.1.4.1.tpc.int (use / to add more fields if you like. note that the fax number is reversed and don't forget the '1' that precedes the US number.) For exemple: remote-printer.M_Alex/Room_323/Xerox_Corp@0.1.5.2.8.6.9.5.1.4.1.tpc.int You can send a fax to yourself if your fax number is covered (see below). Some machines don't know the .int domain yet. You should ask your system administrater to update your machine's knowledge. The current service is provided by a few volunteers on the net. For more info, write to: tpc-faq@town.hall.org Read carefully the faq. You can even send postcript files. For the current coverage, write to: tpc-coverage@town.hall.org The current coverage is enclosed. But it gets updated every day. ------------------------------ DEMOCRACY NETWORK PLANS ADVANCED PUBLIC POLITICAL COMMUNICATIONS >From GlennB7490@aol.com Sat Oct 1 09:07:45 1994 The Democracy Network is a working prototype of the most advanced political communications system yet devised. This new system of interactive video, textual and audio information is designed for the "information super-highway"-the next generation of cable, telephone and computer networks. Features The Democracy Network will allow voters, through their TV sets or computers: * To watch video, audio and textual materials on demand from political candidates and ballot measure committees-by simply "clicking" a TV remote control or using a "voice command"; * To view TV, radio and newspaper materials and editorials on candidates and issues; * To talk with candidates and voters in an electronic town hall; and * To receive multi-lingual materials for non-English speaking audiences. Benefits Once installed in cable and telephone video systems, The Democracy Network should: * Increase voter participation, especially by poor, young and new voters; * Decrease campaign costs and financial disparities between candidates; * Encourage candidates to devote more attention to substantive issues; and * Demonstrate to elected officials the value of incorporating free voter information into the new definition of "universal service." Contents and Availability The Democracy Network prototype includes exclusive video materials from California Governor Pete Wilson, State Treasurer Kathleen Brown, ballot measure committees, TV and radio stations and newspapers. The Democracy Network is intended to be available free of charge to candidates and voters as part of the "universal service" obligation of telecommunications companies. It will be available for 1995 state elections and the 1996 Presidential elections. The Democracy Network was developed by the Los Angeles-based Center for Governmental Studies, a non-profit, research organization which works to improve the processes of media and democratic governance. In 1989 the Center launched The California Channel, the nation's first "state C-SPAN" now available to over 4 million California homes. The Democracy Network was funded by the Babcock, Carnegie, Cummings, Gerbode and Irvine foundations. For further information, contact Tracy Westen, Bob Stern, or Matt Stodder at Center for Governmental Studies 10951 West Pico Boulevard, Suite 206 * Los Angeles, California 90064 Telephone (310) 470-6590 * Facsimile (310) 475-3752 DnetCGS@aol.com ------------------------------ GEORGE BUSH JR'S RESPONSE TO CALL FOR ELECTRONIC ETHICS FILINGS >From 70712.1661@compuserve.com Sun Jul 31 18:46:40 1994 From: Scott Hochberg <70712.1661@compuserve.com> While most Texas statewide candidates, including Governor Ann Richards, have provided disks containing their campaign contribution and expenditure files to the Houston Chronicle, GOP candidate for governor George Bush, Jr. has refused. Here's what his spokesperson, Karen Hughes, had to say about his refusal, according to the Chronicle on 7/21: Hughes said the records would be of little interest to most people anyway: "Frankly, the people probably most interested in having computer lists on disk are junk mail vendors and solicitors." ------------------------------ The best way to get information on Usenet is not to ask a question, but to post the wrong information. [from aahz@netcom.com sig-file] Mo' as it Is. --jim GovAccess is an email distribution-list of irregular postings, maintained by Jim Warren, columnist for MicroTimes, Government Technology, BoardWatch, etc. 345 Swett Rd., Woodside CA 94062; voice/415-851-7075; fax/<# upon request> jwarren@well.com -or- jwarren@autodesk.com >> Permission herewith granted for unlimited reposting and recirculation.<< >> Past postings are at ftp.cpsr.org:/cpsr/states/california/govaccess << >> To add or drop the GovAccess list, email to jwarren@well.com . << End of GovAccess ************************