I don't understand the hate for TSA. Sure, it can be better. But does anyone dare board a plane when none of the passengers have been screened?
I'll board one
Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
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Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#22We can stop dancing around the issue while pretending we don't understand why the TSA exists. In the aftermath of 9/11, the government has to be seen doing "something". This was the something. Then, in the following years, the TSA evolved into a welfare program for veterans, because here in the US we can't dream of just giving people money, we have to invent bullshit jobs that make society worse.
> In the aftermath of 9/11, the government has to be seen doing "something". This was the something.
No, that might have been true then, but the real reason is the same that Airlines suddenly unlearned how to group people who book togehter to sit together unless they reserve booking. The security theator is expensive to run, but it's less expensive than what you make selling more expensive methods of avoiding the security theather.
Airlines don't want you to have a nice and easy travel, unless you've paid the appropriate primum. They are perfectly happing intentionally pissing off 98% of their travelers to maintain the 2% who pay extra. And when you zoom out, that also means that what you pay for the premium tickets isn't to pay for extra luxery, its to pay for the intentional annoyance of everyone else.
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#23If it wasn't for this so-called "theatre", I'd have accidentally got on a plane with more than 50ml of toothpaste last week, and I'm sure I don't need to explain the damage that would have caused.
How are you still allowed to fly you monster
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#24No.
If we don’t take our shoes off, how will we maintain our freedom?!?!
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#25We can stop dancing around the issue while pretending we don't understand why the TSA exists. In the aftermath of 9/11, the government has to be seen doing "something". This was the something. Then, in the following years, the TSA evolved into a welfare program for veterans, because here in the US we can't dream of just giving people money, we have to invent bullshit jobs that make society worse.
A jobs program with negative utility for the US. Would be nicer if the jobs program was picking up all the trash everywhere.
Or keeping public toilets gleaming clean, which seems to be the jobs program for the elderly in Japan.
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#26If you're ever wondering why something in the U.S. can't be made better, the answer is often that the existing rent-collectors must be allowed to continue collecting their rent at all costs. This is why we can't have the government file taxes on our behalf: because Intuit would no longer be collecting rent, and rent-collecting must be protected at all costs. This is why we can't have a single-payer healthcare system: because insurance companies must keep collecting their rent. This is why the TSA is here to stay: it collects rent from the taxpayers, the airports, and the passengers.
Any modification to the system must include ways for the rent-collectors to continue collecting rent from someone. TSA Precheck is a way for you to say: it's fine, TSA, I'll pay rent directly to you, so that I can avoid the worst parts of your services. It, of course, has nothing to do with actually pre-checking that certain passenger are low-risk -- it's just a solution to the problem of "but if we made the system more efficient, how would we still collect rent?" Collect it directly from the passengers themselves, for the privilege of avoiding the worst parts of dealing with you.
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#27I would love one presidential candidate to include this in their platform. I have yet to hear this (unless I just missed this person!). A massive overhaul & reduction in all of this security theater. NSA and others already do the heavy lifting of identifying people planning bad things. Can we just do a basic metal detector or something and call it a day?
A reduction in security theater may have a dependency on reduction in democracy theater. :(
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
A jobs program with negative utility for the US. Would be nicer if the jobs program was picking up all the trash everywhere.
Or keeping public toilets gleaming clean, which seems to be the jobs program for the elderly in Japan.
No one values this work, and so it’s an identity and status issue. “Soldiers” vs janitors and people who keep the lights on. (“Support our troops”, “back the blue”, etc).
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#29I would love one presidential candidate to include this in their platform. I have yet to hear this (unless I just missed this person!). A massive overhaul & reduction in all of this security theater. NSA and others already do the heavy lifting of identifying people planning bad things. Can we just do a basic metal detector or something and call it a day?
Well one candidate has you covered. He wants to dismantle the DHS. Unfortunately his platform comes with a certain amount of other baggage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#30I'm not convinced the TSA is needed to stop terrorism, but it probably helps a good deal with protecting passengers from ordinary psychotic Americans, of which there seem to be a significant increase over the last 20 or so years.