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"Tending that direction" (the actual quote) isn't quite the same as "they are" (l3m0ndr0p's statement). That's not "literally a paraphrase", that's omitting something that makes a significant difference.

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You're quite right, the language I used does not quite hold up in a literal interpretation. I was willing to take this shortcut primarily because I assumed that Truman's political capital limited his ability to attack the FBI's power as was dictated by the FBI's power over him and his supporters in Congress, whose support he would need to be effective as executive and commander in chief.

This is tin foil hat circular reasoning but given the historical evidence for Hoover's abuse of power, I don't think it's much of a stretch

Hoover died over 40 years ago, who knows what he would say about the FBI today given their new found love of torture, and the governments new policy of murdering anyone, including US citizens without meaningful due process.

But do go on, trot out some stupid internet meme while the American government continued it's descent into the abyss.

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