Thursday, August 20, 2015

Did She or Didn't She: Clinton's Email SNAFU

It's amazing how lazy and easily confused people have become.  The slightest obfuscation combined with a lack of critical thinking has the masses proclaiming, "Witch Hunt!" or "Guilty!"

I've not heard or read one story yet that has convinced me of either position. My personal bias is that she likely did it.  Yet, since I've not seen or heard real evidence I withhold judgement.  I could pass a judgement if I had the information that allows me to make that decision. But getting that information, while actually fairly simple, requires people to ask the correct questions and remain stalwart until an unambiguous answer is given.

My thoughts on the questions that need answering follows.  The questions are purposely closed ended.  And as such only two responses would be tolerated:
  1. At any time was information within or attached to any email on the server(s) in question contain information that was classified as confidential, secret, etc.? 
  2. Is there policy that restricts or forbids information classified as confidential, secret, etc. to be outside of  a specific e-communication network?
  3. Did any information within or attached to an email on the server(s) violate the policy?
  4.  If the answer to #1 is, "Yes," is there any data that suggests that the information was shared, otherwise obtained, or at risk of being obtained by individuals, organizations, governments, etc. for whom access is/was not approved?
  5. Are there Federal laws that address the issue in #2 and/or #4?
Perhaps I'm the simpleton.  But it seems to me that answers to the first three questions give us pretty good grounds for making an informed judgement.  A breech of policy should come with some significant consequence. Breeches in policy are always significant. They suggest incompetence or a willful disregard for the group's internal rules of operation. "It was a simple mistake," "I didn't know," are not excuses I'd accept from people working at high levels of government; especially one who aspires to the presidency.  Breeches of Federal law concerning confidential, secret, etc government information are worse as they could make us vulnerable to a threat.

So why don't we have unambiguous responses to these questions?  Because being direct, clear, honest, and respectful are no longer qualities most individual Americans value let alone practice.  And by extension our elected leadership knows most Americans no longer care enough to hold them accountable.