Port Authority Chief to Feds - Newark Airport STILL Unsafe

Why should anyone be surprised that the TSA hasn't done their job? I used to work as a screener but resigned in June. First off, Bush underfunded the TSA. He made it an excepted agency to keep the unions out but didn't provide any plausible work rules. It was a clusterfvck from the word go. Training was a joke. The supervisors were clueless, mostly lazy and provided no real support to those "on the front lines". It is a top heavy agency. One manager got three promotions in two years while those that actually performed the screening functions faced a RIF. The TSA actually called it a "Right Sizing" because they didn't want to follow the RIF guidelines. They actually denied Veteran's Preferance. The TSA ran out of money for LEOs on the checkpoints but they still have a manager whose sole job is to act as a checkpoint LEO liason. The assistant FSD in charge of my airport has a Sony Vega big screen w/ DIRECTV in his office, three feet in front of his desk. I like to think of the TSA an a microcosm of the Bush administration; incompetent, contemptuous of established government policies and pratices, contemptuous of bargaining rights for workers, unwilling to do the hard work to complete a task, and (did I mention?) incompetent.

 

TSA has been linked to wasted funds, too. I'll have to look it up for the exact figures, but I do know that they were giving lifetime achivement awards for the agency that has been in operation for two years or so.

 

You know, even if you (collective) don't have anything to add to this thread, I hope you read it.

Just think of the number of flights out of EWR, the number of people who travel to, from and through that airport alone. Think of the number of TSA workers per flight/per passenger numbers. Think of the guy sitting in front of the screen ready to fall alseep.

It is funny how passengers like to complain about the long lines, but would be the first to complain about safety if something happens.

Alright, rant over.

 

I seem to ask this in every thread, but here it goes. Supporters of Bush, how can you defend the fact that we are 3 1/2 years removed from 9/11 and our airports, sea ports, chemical plants and nuclear plants are not secure?

Do you remember Bush's "move heaven and earth" pronouncements about keeping us safe? Where is the proof. Just a few months ago, there was a tv news story here in Chicago where the camera crew pulled around to the back of the plant where the fencing was completely broken and ineffectual. How can that be? There are millions that live near there. It literally could be Bhopal except this time it would be intentional.

Why in the hell are we not demanding that our government do the minimum. Pay these damn people high wages at the airports so that we have people at least as qualified as the our police making sure our flights are safe.

REQUIRE private companies making chemicals or using dangerous chemicals in the manufacturing process to secure their plants and hire adequate security on their perimiters.

Inspect more damn container ships.

These are things that would cost bucks, but nothing compared to the albatross in Iraq. We are willing to pay to be safe.

 

Here is another TSA story: A friend of mine works for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Last week, he had to go to a presentation by the TSA on security issues in VT (border & access to Yankee Nuclear Plant). The presentation was billed as being delivered by a security expert.

My friend got to the meeting only to learn that the "security expert" was some lady he used to work with at the FHWA. She worked on beautifying scenic highways! He talked to her before the presentation and heard all about how excited she was in her new position because she got a promotion and raise by moving over to the TSA.

So, next time you hear someone from the TSA refer to a "security expert", keep in mind that they make actually be talking about someone who only knows a lot about highway litter patrols.

 

At first, I was disappointed that republicans made TSA jobs non-union, non-civil servant, whatever.

But they did the right thing.

A lot of people there need firing, and its definitely not just the ones checking your boarding pass 4 times.

 

And cut into Walmart's profit margin?

Bwa ha ha ha ha ha!

Actually, due to the fact that most container ships are bringing containers from one of the most oppressive nations on earth, China; most container ships do not merit further inspection.

 

Not everyone who uses the airport are from Jersey.

I know you guys are cool.

 

Think of the 380 tons of explosives missing from Iraq. The same type of explosive that it took for less than 1 pound of the take down the Pan Am flight over Lockerbie.

Think of how 90% of cargo shipped into US ports is not searched.