Matthew,
You might think that the crypto issue is the most important in government
and that the executive branch snaps to attention when the President gives
an order.
Experience of the Gays in the Millitary issue shows that it just is not
so. The bigots won on that issue. The establishment has significant power
and is not reluctant to use it to protect their interests.
A chief executive has to pick their fights and calculate the amount of
political capital it will cost to effect change. We would have won the
crypto issue a year earlier but for the trumped up impeachment.
Clinton and Gore are not stupid. They knew that the crypto export ban
would not keep crypto out of the hands of criminals. The eventual repeal
of the ban has been obvious to practically everyone in Washington for
years.
The problem was that it was billed as a purely civil rights issue. This
won the argument on the need to change policy but not the issue of timing.
I spent several years trying to work out an answer to the question 'but if
as you say it is having no effect, why is there a need for a change now?'.
I don't know what effected the final change. My guess is that Louis Freeh
lost support within the administration after supporting the Republicans
during the impeachment. When the Republicans called for Freeh and Reno to
be sacked in the wake of new Wacco conspiracy theories, an opportuinity
was created.
I do not doubt that the imminent election also had an effect. There was
certainly concern that Bush might be elected and try to implement domestic
controls. I do not doubt that there would be a concern that high tech
donnors might not give to Gore's campaign unless there was a change.
Phill
smime.p7s
