Follow the Money

[BT]

Afghanistan could have had more, sooner, and possibly settled the issue once and for all, had some not gotten sidetracked into Iraq.

Which doesn't address the over allocation of resources concerning airports.

[Xavier_Onassis]

I don't know how useful TSA has been in airports on a terrorist incident averted per passenger mile flown, because they don't tell us about all the threats they have foiled, only those that are divulged by the press. They probably spend too much in  minor airports like Providence, Spokane and Des Moines, as most of the likely threats would be in places like Atlanta, JFK, National, Los Angeles, Dallas-Ft. Worth and other major hubs.

TSA does know what they have prevented and I agree that they should analyze their expenditures on the basis of previous experience.

[hnumpah]

I don't fly, haven't since shortly before 9-11, so the TSA storm troopers haven't directly affected me. It didn't seem to matter then that many of us kept trying to tell people we didn't need all the drastic changes people were clamoring for. People were scared and they wanted to be protected, and if they had to give up a few civil rights and liberties, well, they were all for it. They will have to live with their choices until they grow enough backbone to change it and repeal many of the changes they  were crying for then.

My biggest issue, all along, has been the military involvement in Iraq, against all rationality and common sense, and at a cost in lives that cannot be replaced, both American and Iraqi. I don't see an overabundance of TSA jackboots-on-the-ground costing lives, merely being an inconvenience as they trample people's rights.

[BT]

So in your mind, an ill advised war is worse than the trampling of US constitutional rights?

[Xavier_Onassis]

So in your mind, an ill advised war is worse than the trampling of US constitutional rights?
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Was this an either/or situation?

The war was approved by Congress, so at least sending troops there was in accord with the Constitution, though much of what they did there was questionable (torture and sending detainees to Guantanamo, for example).

The only inconvenience that I suffered from at the hands of TSA was the confiscation of some Coconut pancake syrup my sister bought to give me for Christmas in Honolulu.

[BT]

No i don't believe it was an either or situation. I believe the TSA was a jobs program slipped through under the guise of security.

[Xavier_Onassis]

I am pretty sure that TSA has managed to keep some dangerous people from getting on planes.

Again, I don't think that TSA reports all those that they catch, only those that for some reason had an incident announced.
TSA may be inefficient, but they have not been totally useless.

[BT]

Perhaps they should publish those statistics so we can make sure we are getting our monies worth.

[hnumpah]

So in your mind, an ill advised war is worse than the trampling of US constitutional rights?

I see the ill-advised war cost lives that cannot be replaced. The American people can regain their rights, if they have the backbone; dead, however, is dead.

[BT]

So in your mind, an ill advised war is worse than the trampling of US constitutional rights?

I see the ill-advised war cost lives that cannot be replaced. The American people can regain their rights, if they have the backbone; dead, however, is dead.

You certainly made your point.