ON GOVERNMENT CLASSIFICATION

We are told that a document does not have to be stamped classified, but that you have to use common sense.  HOLY COW!

I had secret clearance once and I was glad the only classified meeting I was at was classified because EVERYTHING said at the meeting was false, including what I was forced to say.  Had I thought what I said was important, I probably would not have said what I did.

Once upon a time I had a classification above Top Secret.  The only meeting I was at in which this level of secrecy was imposed consisted of material all of which I felt was in the Public Domain.  I guess common sense said it was classified?

Classification is way overdone in the government.  Often something is classified to cover up errors.  But dealing with classified documents is a real problem, even those stamped classified.  For example at the top of the page in capital letters will be printed SECRET SECRET SECRET .....  .  Handling this is bad enough, especially when you think it shouldn't have been classified, but when you are supposed to "use common sense" on something not so stamped is incredible.

It is not that I think that there is nothing that should be classified, it is just that it is way, way, way overdone.

What I think should be done when someone is accused of wrongly transmitting classified or "common sense" classified material should be a review to determine whether any damage was actually done.  I  think that in very few cases will it be determined that any damage to national security or people's lives was done.

In the case of Gen Patraeus, his giving of "common sense" classified material to his girlfriend was wrong, but it does not seem as if any harm was done.  In the case of Hileray Clinton, it is yet to be determined whether any harm was done by her receiving or transmitting "common sense" classified information.  I find it amusing that there are those who feel that any information transmitted on Bengazhi is "presumed classified."  What crap.