Lots of these security screeners lack common sense. Sure, there have been kids in Iraq or Vietnam with explosives taped to them but a 4 year old with her mother and grandmother? Get real and get some common sense.

Figmo is right, too. I was travelling in Europe by train in the 1980's. The Basque Separatists were bombing train stations in Spain at that time. There were National Police with automatic rifles guarding train stations both inside and outside.

I felt quite safe at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport 3 months after 9/11 when the National Guard were patrolling the terminals.

I flew back from Milwaukee to Orlando yesterday. While passing thru the security screening, I noticed four TSA agents chatting and having a good old time while the line to go thru the the detectors got longer. Then, just before our flight boarded, three more agents showed up at the gate. One had a dangerous-looking chemical tray and was sticking her sampling probe into the bottles of water people were carrying on. The other two didn't seem to be doing anything--until my zone was called, that is. One of them stopped me just as I was about to present my boarding pass. He said he needed to question me...where was I going? (At the boarding gate to a flight to Orlando? Duh!) Did I live in Florida? (None of his business IMHO). Had to re-present my ID and boarding pass (only the third time after arriving at the airport).

People tend to give TSA a "pass" because they're "assuring our flight security". Baloney! There have been too many examples where people who try can breach TSA security quite consisntly. Then here's the anecdotal observations of inefficiency like mine.

I have a spending reduction proposal...cut the TSA budget by about 15%. Then see how things work and maybe cut it 10% more!

Originally Posted by Posh 08

Is the argument against having airport security?

Is TSA another example of the government not being able to do anything right?

Would we feel safer if we privatized airport security? Like maybe let the airlines do it?

What to stop all the BS with TSA and Big Government?

Simple, don't fly for one (1) that's right, one (1) day and see how fast things get changed. Money talks, BS walks. Either step up and doing something about it, or shut up and take the feel up, your choice. Me, I don't fly and won't until things change.

I have no love for TSA...haven't been able to fly from my home airport in almost 3 years. Everytime I check to see if they have gotten a scanner the project is pushed back 6 months.

For 7 years on a reqular, sometimes weekly, basis I am subjected to a patdown...not once have they found a bomb in my bra and they never will. I will NOT, unless totally forced, allow them to touch me using that new enhanced patdown. But I do go to great lengths to miss it.

That being said some TSA agents can be helpful as they were to me a couple of weeks ago...the scanner at MCO was down for repairs, not wanting the search I did ask for a supervisor. They worked out a way for me to avoid the dreaded pat-down.

And then there are some I rather not talk about.

To me the TSA should be another agency with a mandate like I think a LOT of agencies should be.. An agency that sets standards and, perhaps, enforces them. NOT necessarily being the ones to carry them out.