As usual Ryan and jis have posted realistic explanations of why the TSA, aka The Keystone Cops, are a total waste of money with their Security Theater @ our airports and increasingly @ Amtrak Stations!
If you're open to accepting new information and reevaluating prior assumptions then how on earth did you ever come to the erroneous conclusion that correlation implies causation? We're talking about fundamental logical fallacies here, not fluid dynamics or quantum mechanics.Thank you for offering your usual attempts at humor instead of addressing the issue. I am always open to hearing evidence for an argument but personal attacks are much easier. Since I do not wish to continue down the road to an argument I will move on to a more enlightened conversation with those who have something more concrete to offer on the subject of personal rights vs. security.
Since I have had a good time playing this game with you all, I will move on to discussing trains. But you all really need to mellow out some. It is really better for your blood pressure. As I said, please have a really nice evening..Please don't confuse pointing out the factual errors in your arguments with any ruffled feathers. Feelings don't really have anything to do with it.
If you're going to hold a position about the effectiveness and Constitutionality of the TSA, that position should be based on facts, not faulty assumptions.
1) Excellent that you've come around to reality on the matter.
2) I've already speculated on that. The window for using airplanes as guided missiles against land targets has closed. As far as attacks on our planes, you may want to look into who Richard Reid and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab are.
3) There is no reason that little old ladies or people "who look like a midwestern hillbilly" should get a pass on security. There are plenty of people "who look like a midwestern hillbilly" who have perpetuated terrorist attacks.
4) The fact that you're willing to toss away your Constitutional rights doesn't really have any bearing on the matter. For some of us flying isn't an option. I do appreciate your permission to try and work towards changing the laws to be more aligned with our Constitution.
5) That makes it mighty easy to say that you're willing to have your privacy violated, since you don't actually have any skin in the game.
Hopefully y'all from those states have passports or something else that can be used for travel. The whole RealID things seems to be a solution in search of a problem to me, but that can be said about most of our security efforts.The citizens of several US states may soon find that they can't use their drivers' licenses to get into federal facilities or even board planes.
Enforcement of a 2005 federal law that sets identification standards, known as "Real ID," has been long-delayed. But now Department of Homeland Security officials say enforcement is imminent. The "Real ID" law requires states to implement certain security features before they issue IDs and verify the legal residency of anyone to whom they issue an ID card. The statute is in part a response to the suggestion of the 9/11 Commission, which noted that four of the 19 hijackers used state-issued ID cards to board planes.
Real ID also requires states to share their databases of driver information with other states. The information-sharing provisions are a big reason why some privacy groups opposed the law, saying it would effectively be the equivalent of a national identification card.
The federal government can't force state licensing agencies to change their practices to conform to Real ID standards. But it can stop those with state-issued IDs from using them to enter federal facilities, such as military bases, or to board commercial planes. The renewed push for compliance comes at a time when concerns about terrorism are again high due to recent bloody attacks in Paris and California.
Surely TSA has prevented SOME contraband from making it on the planes? I read that they have a warehouse in Harrisburg where you can go buy at deep discount knives, swords and other sharp objects that have been confiscated. You are correct, however, in pointing out that even the highly intrusive screening being done now cannot prevent all contraband from being carried aboard planes.That's not exactly what you said originally.
... On the contrary, there is an ample body of evidence that they're almost completely ineffective in preventing contraband from making it onto the airplanes that you don't fly in. ...
...Doing nothing (past what existed pre-9/11)....
Yup, a NEXUS or a Global Entry card works just fine as an approved ID card for TSA.Re: RealID:
I agree that it's a solution in search of a problem. Honestly, I wish that our state (MN) would hold our ground with the regular IDs. If someone needs an ID for air travel, an enhanced driver's license is available for an additional $15 which includes the chip to do ground travel to/from Canada and Mexico. I have one now, though I'll probably switch back once it expires (I have a NEXUS card that does the same thing and more.)
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