if memo = dud, why did people fight to keep in classified

If you think the Memo was a dud. What do you think about the people who screamed "Don't release the memo, it will hurt national security"

Did they read the same memo you did?
Did they not read the memo, but wanted to get the anti-trump crowd fired up
Are they so Anti-Trump, that's there Pavlovian response to anything Trump wants, is to hate on it?
Where the fear mongering?
Are they just wrong?

a reply to: SocratesJohnson

this just in, Trump is on record calling for a positive response to the sun rising tomorrow, the dems are against it. news at 11.

a reply to: SocratesJohnson

I think it just goes to show how disconnected everyday people and the politicians are from one another these days.

I was excited to see this memo, but in my view it is a complete dud. It contains equally as much proof as the dossier criticized therein... none.

How this memo ever needed to be classified as Top Secret I will never understand. And if this the standard of what they consider as needing such classification, then they are even dumber than I ever imagined.

a reply to: SocratesJohnson

I do believe you have a topic for consideration, but as it stands it is simply a post that could have been added to another posted thread. If you want flags, stars and a more in depth discussion, you do need to follow T&Cs or file this in a simple rant forum.

Hint think links, opinion, and more queries proffered.

originally posted by: xenthuin
a reply to: SocratesJohnson

I think it just goes to show how disconnected everyday people and the politicians are from one another these days.

I was excited to see this memo, but in my view it is a complete dud. It contains equally as much proof as the dossier criticized therein... none.

How this memo ever needed to be classified as Top Secret I will never understand. And if this the standard of what they consider as needing such classification, then they are even dumber than I ever imagined.

The only thing I can think of that could explain the panic and 'top secret' classification is if the "named U.S. source" that Steele worked for is someone mindblowing.

Other than that...I have to assume the hype was created just to make the letdown more profound.

a reply to: MotherMayEye

if the "named U.S. source" that Steele worked for is someone mindblowing.

First thought in my head,,,Soros. Just speculating of course.

a reply to: SocratesJohnson

That's the Big Question.

a reply to: SocratesJohnson

For the same reason that the "Fire & Fury" book was attacked as being false, yet the Trump team still tried to stop it from being released while Bannon was publicly rebuked & subsequently fired for comments quoted in the supposedly "false" book.

In other words, welcome to politics. Midterm elections guarantee that everything will be weaponized this year, especially with so much at stake. Though to be fair, 2 of the bigger concerns that I've seen were that names would be given and that methods for collecting info would be revealed. ETA: And of course, some of the pushback was because the memo was being used as a political tool to undermine the Russian investigation.

If you want to know more reasons for the opposition to it, I'd suggest you check actual left-wing sites and the words of prominent political figures who are against it. I don't care about it & it hasn't changed anything from my viewpoint, so I'm admittedly not the best source here.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

For the same reason that the "Fire & Fury" book was attacked as being false, yet the Trump team still tried to stop it from being released

Well , there are these things called libel and slander that are still against the law in the US
You remember laws , right ?

a reply to: Gothmog

Yet I don't see any libel or slander lawsuits being filed. So that argument fails.

Also, libel & slander involve damaging lies about someone. If they were lies, then why the rebuke and firing of Bannon over comments that supposedly weren't true?

Also, public figures are held to a much bigger standard when dealing with libel & slander. You can get away with saying almost anything about public figures, hence why the "Michelle Obama's really a man" & "Obama's a secret Muslim Antichrist Marxist" crap didn't get libel & slander charges. If anything, Trump himself benefits from this because otherwise, he'd be a prime culprit of violating libel & slander laws.

originally posted by: SocratesJohnson
If you think the Memo was a dud. What do you think about the people who screamed "Don't release the memo, it will hurt national security"

Did they read the same memo you did?
Did they not read the memo, but wanted to get the anti-trump crowd fired up
Are they so Anti-Trump, that's there Pavlovian response to anything Trump wants, is to hate on it?
Where the fear mongering?
Are they just wrong?

They want it both ways.

They are like the kid your parents warned you about.

You familiar with Eddie Haskell?

There ya go.

originally posted by: enlightenedservant
a reply to: Gothmog

Yet I don't see any libel or slander lawsuits being filed. So that argument fails.

Also, libel & slander involve damaging lies about someone. If they were lies, then why the rebuke and firing of Bannon over comments that supposedly weren't true?

Also, public figures are held to a much bigger standard when dealing with libel & slander. You can get away with saying almost anything about public figures, hence why the "Michelle Obama's really a man" & "Obama's a secret Muslim Antichrist Marxist" crap didn't get libel & slander charges. If anything, Trump himself benefits from this because otherwise, he'd be a prime culprit of violating libel & slander laws.

Bummer.

Lol, they didn't tweet it wasn't true now, did they?

No press shouting the questions in the WH briefings, right?

"Hey OBAMA, you a muslim?!" "Is it true Michelle is a man?!"

I know I didn't hear that.

Pretty amazing how one can be manipulated and brainwashed.

Back in the day, we were all...better show me that # brother, or STFU!

Now it's just "who you gonna believe, me or your lyin' eyes?"

a reply to: SocratesJohnson

Tragedy struck the US today as President Trump came out as pro-breathing.

30 million leftists strangled themselves in protest.

a reply to: MotherMayEye


The memo was classified "Top Secret" because it directly discusses elements of process and procedure that are -- by definition -- "Top Secret" (FISA courts and warrants).

Also I think there's a precedence issue. The intelligence agencies need to be able to do their work feeling fairly secure that politicians aren't going to blab about the process too much.

But now politicians have blabbed, they'll be much more careful about what they let politicians see.

Which is bad for everyone.


But yes, the memo was a total damp squib. Just an opinion piece. Utterly devoid of facts.

originally posted by: 0zzymand0s
a reply to: MotherMayEye


The memo was classified "Top Secret" because it directly discusses elements of process and procedure that are -- by definition -- "Top Secret" (FISA courts and warrants).

What's odd is that you can find that process on wikipedia.

We all have to keep something in mind; the vast majority of people in the US do not spend nearly as much time as the people on this message board reading and discussing these topics. The bar is much lower for them as to what is NEW information.

Also Politionsins aren't targeting the people of this board with their theatrics. The Memo and the circus surrounding it where not ment for you. I suspect it had a much greater impact on the majority of people who it was aimed at.

Same is true for the news media ... I heard an NPR anchor say "Transparency isn't all it's cracked up to be" ... a lot more disturbing to me than this memo, the new narrative out of all this is that Americans should push their government to be LESS transparent!

originally posted by: MotherMayEye

originally posted by: xenthuin
a reply to: SocratesJohnson

I think it just goes to show how disconnected everyday people and the politicians are from one another these days.

I was excited to see this memo, but in my view it is a complete dud. It contains equally as much proof as the dossier criticized therein... none.

How this memo ever needed to be classified as Top Secret I will never understand. And if this the standard of what they consider as needing such classification, then they are even dumber than I ever imagined.

The only thing I can think of that could explain the panic and 'top secret' classification is if the "named U.S. source" that Steele worked for is someone mindblowing.

Other than that...I have to assume the hype was created just to make the letdown more profound.

Indeed, this is the murky part. Americans may not be aware but under Patriot Act rules foreign intelligence can be outsourced to circumvent US law legally and is routinely done via the former employers of Steele.

It's public knowlege British Intel had seperate investigations into Trump and vetting/screening for potential national security risks, if NSA ordered that it will hopefully be an eye openner to how much illegal activity intelligence routinely conduct.

It's a huge if though and having spent a few months trying to chase the Steele and other paper trails, they just lead to dead ends where no conclusion can be drawn, let alone evidence to think it's likely.

More likely a case of making sure there's no other moles etc... before publishing to avoid further intel loss.