My earlier argument that "Clipper will encourage state and local cops 
to commit criminal acts" is largely moot, now that we've learned that 
the FBI will perform the actual tap.  [It will encourage the *FBI* to
commit (even more) criminal acts, but that's not the point here.]

But this gives another avenue of attack on the Clipper proposal.  When
the EFF/ACLU/CPSR FOIA requests are made, they should ask for details
on the bureaucratic and equipment infrastructure that is proposed (or 
even already budgeted) for the FBI to service tapping requests -- for now
and the projected future. 

From these figures, estimate the number of Clipper-tap requests the FBI
is expecting.  Publish this figure.  Compare it on a per-capita basis
with the amount of tapping now known or suspected.

Also estimate how expensive it would be for the FBI to install more
Clipper-tapping stations, and how rapidly they could be built and
installed ... ie, get the "plus or minus" epsilon for the near future.

Might be a mite disturbing for J. Q. Public to know these things.

And despite all the technical details [BTW, thanks to those who've been
providing them!], we still don't know 

1) how the tapping requests will be transmitted and authenticated (though
   it isn't too hard to guess a good scheme).

2) how the results will be securely transmitted (Fed Ex the audio tapes?)

3) how privacy will be re-established when an investigation is complete.