TSA - watching an issue of the left hijacked by the right

[underpants]

and yes the pun is intended.

The use of body scanners since they began about 4 or 5 years ago were a serious issue for civil liberties proponents- meaning people who like the Constitution. They were not only ignored but they were told that they were helping terrorists. Or as they were known at the time "TURRists". Civil liberty types had their patriotism questioned openly.

Suddenly the right thinks this is the worst thing ever. It is issue numero uno on their media and the media that follows their media-meaning all media. It has even surpassed someone saying "numero uno" in their beloved United States. The fact that all the contracts were written for these machines while they had unprecedented power due to the fact that things were so scary dangerous that we need full body scanners at the modern day bus station airport.

The obvious disconnect is part of the erasing of the public mind that anything occurred more than two years ago. Well there were those failures of the the privately (read: cheaply) run airport security that basically helped terrorists do what everyone but the people (under)running the the airport security was actually trying to stop including the idea of full body scanners because who was going to say something about it? Civil liberty types? Pfft like they be given a second of airtime.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Yeah we have been talking about this for three years

the Phoenix Airport was one of the first to get one of these things.

People laughed when Randhi Rhodes brought that up.

[treestar]

2. I thought they were so scared of terra

They were willing to let the Executive detain people indefinitely.

And were willing to fight eternal wars.

[notesdev]

3. Is it still an issue of the left anymore?

I saw people seriously arguing that it should be allowed to go on because it provides union jobs, or that these practices should be defended for no other reason that the "other side" is now opposed to it.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Back when this began everyone thought this was going to be just for dark skinned furinors

Liberals and righties alike thought this was the way it was going to work too, so we didn't hear much about it. But when they discovered it was for Billy Bob and Debbie Sue as well as Muhammad and his family all hell broke out.

That is what happened. No one is kidding anybody. Except maybe themselves?

Don

[leveymg]

5. My bet is that the right-wing hopes Obama caves on this, and we get a plane blown up as a result.

Are the GOP and the Teapots that cynical? You betya.

[liberal N proud]

6. For years the right supported these things because of bu$h and Cheney

They supported the fear machine. But I think, now they are seeing this as another opportunity to try and make Obama and Democrats look bad.

Just speculation, nothing but the fact that, that is the number one objective of many republicans for the next two years.

[chriscraft]

7. And more and more I'm hearing the "P" word

as in profiling, as in why are we worrying about offending a few Muslims when Obama has managed to offend everybody else? Of course they know why He won't offend teh Islamics don't we.

I mean here in Phoenix the RW radio jocks are coming right out and saying it. I predict a larger backlash against the Muslim community.

[underpants]

8. Yep that is the side angle on rightwing radio

"The Israelis do it!!" well how is their track record on airline security? Do they HAVE a Bill of Right?

Welcome to DU :hi: you'll like it here

[chriscraft]

12. Sarah Palin's latest tweet

http://twitter.com/SarahPalinUSA?from_source=onebox

Law enforcemnt profiles individuals/suspects when seeking info 2 prevent or deal w/other crimes;Why can't this be done @ airports 2 prevent?
about 4 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

[HuckleB]

9. Absolutely spot on OP!

Heck, someone posted a Kraphammer column, because the fear-monger is now pretending to be up in arms about scanners and body searches.

It's stunning to see them cry about something they worked so hard to create.

[HuckleB]

10. Kick.

[Subdivisions]

11. Regardless of their former stupidity, this is not a partisan issue. We finally

have an issue both sides agree on and everyone wants to start filing claims for their side.

Don't forget that there are both Democrats and republican'ts being irradiated by these machines and sexually assaulted by TSA agents.

[hootinholler]

13. It's ok for them to be outraged now

The machines are bought and paid for. There's no profit motive in soothing the sheep, and possibly if they baaaa loud enough they can cause retrofit kits for the machines to be bought so they won't see your junk.

-Hoot