Abolish the TSA

Abolishing the TSA is like missile defense. The Democrats are agin it and always have been, but when there was even a small possibility that a rogue state would drop a nuke on us, a “CYA” sort of working system was funded – only because IF it happened the Democrat’s would be dead. The same for TSA. Since they’re unionized and federalized, they’re the Democrat’s creature. If the Republicans cut them and there’s a hijack or bomb explosion bye bye GOP. IOWS, as much as I’d like it, it ain’t going to happen.

The answer to airline security is simple and well tried. By Israel. No electronic strip searches, no patdowns. They profile. They look for high risk passengers and take them asside and interview them. So far, no Israeli plane has been hijacked or bombed since I can’t remember when.

So the bottom line is that the government is fondling your genitals and laughing at your chubby thighs because they’d prefer that to being accused of being “racist”.

The problem with all this crap they are doing is they offer “opt-outs” for certain people. For example, 3oz of liquid to avoid liquid explosive bombs (ignoring the fact that top chemists have shown such a bomb is essentially unmakeable onboard an aircraft)…but quarts of fluid if you call it baby formula or saline solution for contacts. No tennis rackets or pool cues…but a cane if you have a “knee problem” Patdowns to find underwear bombs…unless you’re a Muslim woman.
See what I’m saying? If all the terrorists have to do is avoid the “security procedure” is take one of the acceptable opt-outs, then the whole thing is kabuki.
What’s infuriating is these TSA goons have an insane amount of authority and no accountability. And like any other “small people” who get that sort of power, instantaneous abuse follows. They KNOW you don’t want to miss your flight, so you’ll cave to damn near any request, and ignore abuses of power. Because god help you if you so much as utter a squeak of complaint. They don’t respond reasonably–they go from 0-60 in 0.5 seconds.
My TSA story. I dive a rebreather, a kind of scuba gear that uses a CO2 scrubber to extend the time you can dive by recycling your exhaled breath. The material used in the scrubber is harmless while granules. The TSA rules used to say you could carry it on board a flight if you had unopened containers, attached a MSDS, and declare it so the containers can be tested for explosives. (This is no longer true, but was last time I flew with some.) I made several flights without significant incident (thanks to carrying a printout of the TSA web page discussing this). Then at SFO, this guy said I couldn’t take it. “Why?” “Because I say so.” So I asked for a supervisor. It took almost 30 minutes for one to show up. He didn’t talk to me or look at anything, just spoke to the agent and then left. I was then told that he would be allowed to “use his own initiative,” and that was “You’re not taking that stuff on MY airplane.” Your airplane? But that’s how these guys think. Once he’d made up his mind, he wasn’t about to change it and look like he screwed up, despite all evidence to the contrary.
I might also add that I once accidentally left a large leatherman tool in my regulator bag, and it was missed in both SFO and Miami…then caught on Grand Cayman. They just laughed and threw it in the contraband container. In SFO I’d probably been arrested.