[arcseco]

"Let me tell you: You take on the intelligence community — they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you," - Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Can you imagine if J. Edgar Hoover had access to the low level detail that is currently available to the intelligence communities? Both Truman and Kennedy had mulled over dismissing Hoover as FBI Director, but figured that the political fallout to them and their party for doing so would trounce the benefits. Now 50 years later the issue has metastasized and become extremely politicized.

[mschuster91]

> "Let me tell you: You take on the intelligence community — they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you,"

That secret services actually have that level of leverage over sitting presidents and other politicians is the core problem.

Can't people elect honest people (i.e. not bought off by BigCapital/Russians/Chinese, doesn't have multiple cases of rape or sexual harassment, countless extramarital affairs, doesn't have videos circulating with them showing Nazi salutes or similar) any more?

Seems like any random cat and dog could run for office and actually win the post than the bunch of entrenched politicians. That people don't give a flying f..k what their representatives do and give them a kick into their behinds when they get caught being bribed - and instead even reelecting them - is way beyond my comprehension.

And the danger is not just people like Hoover exploiting the leverage, IMHO that's a minuscule threat. What the FBI can find out about a politician can most likely be also discovered by Russia or China and turned into leverage there, with way more potential for damage. And: just because you're president this does not mean you should be able to get off scot free with collusion with Russians or with rape. Or with anything. Public servants serve the constituents and have to be accountable, otherwise it's no longer a democracy.

[arcseco]

The Secret Service is not the principal federal law enforcement agency of the United States. The SS cannot take fabricated political hit pieces and massage them into a form of intelligence documentation from which they garner subpoenas from. And not just any subpoena, an administrative subpoena in the form of a National Security Letter under title V of the Patriot Act. From there they can review all email/search communications and telephone communications for as long as the NSA has been collecting records, and potentially use that information to manipulate an incoming president. I think you may underestimate the power of the intelligence community. Senior individuals in these institution I would suggest may be more influential than the sitting politicians that they work for.

"Show me the man and I'll find you the crime." -Lavrentiy Beria

[Dylan16807]

> Can't people elect honest people (i.e. not bought off by BigCapital/Russians/Chinese, doesn't have multiple cases of rape or sexual harassment, countless extramarital affairs, doesn't have videos circulating with them showing Nazi salutes or similar) any more?

Most of those aren't really honesty issues.