Ditch TSA workers? Airports no longer allowed to 'opt out'

[RamboLiberal]

Source: MSNBC

The Transportation Security Administration has said it won’t allow any more airports to “opt out” and bring in private security contractors in place of the agency’s federal workers. Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., who in the fall wrote a letter to 100 airports urging them to ditch TSA agents, said it is “unimaginable” that TSA would end “the most successfully performing passenger screening program we’ve had over the last decade.”

Despite staunch opt-out support from Mica — the new chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee — TSA Administrator John Pistole said Friday that he had reviewed the private contractor screening program as part of a more general review of TSA policies and decided not to expand the program beyond the current 16 airports because he did not see “any clear or substantial advantage to do so at this time.”

In a statement, Mica said, "I intend to launch a full investigation and review of the matter.”

Since the TSA was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, federal law has allowed airports the option of using private screeners. But few of the nation's roughly 460 commercial airports have done so.

Currently, San Francisco International, Kansas City International and 14 other airports use private contractors to screen airline passengers. Under the program, the private company conducts an airport’s passenger screening according to TSA’s rules and policies and under TSA supervision.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41391509/ns/travel-news/

[Demeter]

1. You Mean There Were Choices?

[DCKit]

4. Sure, who do you want felt up, grandma or your toddler? nt

[KoKo]

8. I'm so glad that my Mother and MIL are now gone and not have to go through this

and that my daughter is not a toddler.

[JanBrady]

2. Either way U.S. taxpayers pay their salaries while they violate our rights.

[alarimer]

3. The problem is not really who does the searches but to whom the searchers are accountable.

It is the searches (and scanners) that are the problem, not who does them. In fact it is better (slightly) if they are done by government agencies because they are at least somewhat accountable to the public, while private companies are never accountable to the public. Not to mention that the private companies will probably hire the worst people because they will want to hire the cheapest possible and you get what you pay for: unaccountable thugs making minimum wage.

[chowhound]

5. they get away with it because

they know the american people. people will grumble and bitch but in the end they will drop their pants b/c flying is more (insert excuse here)and i'm in a (insert excuse here) and besides (insert rationalization here).
remember kiddies the road to hell is paved in baby steps

[KoKo]

7. ...and parents allowing their little kids to be "pawed over" or "radiated" is

something I never thought I'd see here in America...the land of FREEDOM! (so they've told us to believe)

I'm glad my daughter is grown...because they would have had to arrest me if anyone tried to touch her in an airport claiming she was "suspect" and had to submit to either "body grope" or "radiation."

[chowhound]

9. agreed

brings to mind lyrics from a song "there's no bread let em eat cake, there's no end to what they'll take"

[KoKo]

6. Ditch the whole Program! Americans have Rights against Search & Seizure of our Private Parts!

It's a disgusting take over of our Freedoms (the ones George Bush said that Osama was jealous of)...and we Americans are Sick of the "Department of Homeland Securities Authoritarian Abuses of our OWN AMERICAN FREEDOMS!"

[Fokker Trip]

10. Its all just security theatre and programming of the populace to comly.

[Fokker Trip]

11. Ugh, last word suppossed to be "comply"

[ixion]

12. The TSA should be disbanded

End of Discussion.

[chowhound]

13. it should;d but it wont

because we will be obedient