Chertoff: More Money, or Somebody'll Get Hurt!!!

[Bluebear]

This Homeland Security thing must be incredibly entertaining to any terrorist who's paying attention.

* We have a "No-Fly" list that's so ineffective that children and people with common names are being denied the right to easy air travel. That's because the cretins running the TSA couldn't manage a grocery list, let along a sophisticated program to identify potential terrorists.

* We have the "Registered Traveler" program, an innovative scam where common citizens will have to pay $80 for a background check, just to get the same screening process they do today. Those that don't pay, well, they're suspects. (Media parrots are constantly reporting that this program will reduce lines and allow passengers to "zip" through security. It won't, but a lot of reporters don't let the facts or even some cursory research get in the way of a catchy headline.) But in any case, we can depend on this background check process to be just as professionally-managed as the "No-Fly" list, too. (This is covered in detail below, by the way.)

* We have story after story of security at our nation's airports being little more than a sloppy search for pointy objects. Last week, for example, some moron escorted Paula Abdul around a check point at LAS to get on her flight. Think about it -any system that allows a makeup-encrusted rock star to get around screening is one that isn't secure. Terrorists have buddies on the ground, too. And do keep in mind that while the TSA wants to do background checks on passengers, its own track record of doing it for TSA screeners was one that allowed hundreds, maybe thousands, of convicted felons to don white shirts and start pawing through passengers' luggage. Taking things out, or in other cases, conceivably, putting things in.

Chertoff: If They Attack, It Won't Be My Fault. It's bad enough to be threatened by terrorists, but it gets really sick when our own Homeland Security chief does it.....MORE

http://www.aviationplanning.com/asrc11.htm