http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030430/ts_nm/airlines_security_dc_2 6000 8-dollar-an-hour screeners to go by the end of the fiscal year. "While we still live in a dangerous world, it also is time to assess our workplace requirements in relation to budget realities," Loy told reporters at a news conference. Sure, you could say "there's a surplus of screeners around, and we could be just as secure with less of them" - and for all I know, you may be right. But the gist of this article seems to be "we've got to make these numbers work, come hell or high water." Lean, mean, underpaid and demoralized - that's America's Airport Security Force! Hey, we've got to get this tax cut done somehow. Might as well start paring at those corners.
The security lines improved dramatically when the government took over. Sad but true. They developed a process that seems to work. Everyone remembers the post 9/11 cluster*************** but forgets the change that came after that. Hopefully they will improve as much as they did with the first go around. The security overkill has lead to too many employees standing around watching others work so maybe a reduction is appropriate.
Let's be honest about this and admit that the security screeners are never going to really protect airline passengers under the current system, so a loss of 5-6% of them doesn't matter. Look at other countries' screeners, who are basically police officers with a massive amount more training in both explosives and profiling. That's what we should be aspiring to, not more or less minimum-wage rent-a-cops.
The security screeners in place before and after 9/11 would not have stopped those events. The only thing we gain by having them there is that it keeps honest people honest ( except Dallas Cowboy coaches) and give people a false sense of security.
Damn straight. Real security cannot be bought for $8 an hour. For an example of real security, El Al would never have let them on the plane.
Agreed. But many of the countries with better screeners use a mix of public officers and private companies to get the job done. And the Democrats wouldn't have any of that.
Senate voted 100-0 for it in its original version, which made all screeners part of the Justice Department. House initially voted against it 218-214, but then in the compromise bill voted 410-9. Bush signed it the day it passed. We should have the ability to take every law that was passed from 9/12/01 and 12/31/01 and re-vote. Dump this, dump the airline bailout, dump the Patriot Act laws, everything. Legislators on both sides were idiots after 9/11 in an effort to look like they were in control.
Oh, no! I agree with Obie on something!!!!! I may have to reread Slander and Bias just to get back on track. If security lines at airports are longer, more people may want to take Amtrak places...... So Amtrak's pork barrel subsidies will be slightly more justified and Amtrak may actually turn a profit. I know, I know. "Don't drop the brown acid."
If I can really scare you for a second, I think that Amtrak should be self-sufficient, and shouldn't get subsidies. And I love the train -- take it all the time to Philly and DC for work since it's not only faster than flying, it's just nicer. I'd also make all paved roads nationwide into toll roads with a congestion pricing system, but that's another issue entirely.
I'd take Amtrak if it weren't so damned expensive. To get to Oakland from Denver, it's about $300 (actually, they've gone down a little bit since the last time I checked, when it was about $400). I can find a plane ticket for a cheaper price, and it gets me there in much less time.
This deserves bumping with the view from one airport: Security at Sea-Tac: Why you're still at risk -- The Seattle Times
El Al is also prepared to do "deep cavity searches" to ensure the safety of the plane and the airports. Do you think Americans are going to be down with that? I think not.
Agreed that this looks bad. Agreed that the security guards in reality do not have much of an impact in protecting the US People on airplanes. With regards to profiling, it seems apparent that it won't be allowed for political reasons. Personally, this makes me sick. Everytime I walk through airport security and I see some 65 year old with his grandchildren pulled over and he is taking off his shoes etc., it just makes me wonder why we can't grow a brain. Well, it really isn't the brain really, its whether or not we have the balls to implement profiling in the political climate where the NAACP and several other African American organizations have been attacking profiling as a police method for several years.
Did anyone else flashback to "Beavis and Butthead Do America" when they read this? Great, great flick.
El Al's been doing cavity searches for years. I know plenty of folks that have been through them. BTW, everyone goes through the whole routine. My 91 year old mostly-deaf granny that speaks only Dutch was submitted to the most detailed of searches/interviews at San Jose airport last year. I was the interpretter. This was after shepherding her through about 45 minutes of airport security protocol. And now we are going to do this with less workers. Our government dollars at work. It is obviously going nowhere. Why do people act as apologists for the idiots that are running the show?