My solution to the TSA problem... get rid of them altogether...

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

Seriously. There are about 30,000 commercial flights per day. There are ~50,000 TSA employees. Have them all trade thier anal probes and mall-cop uniforms for an air-marshal badge and a gun. Put 2 or 3 plain-clothes federal air marshalls on EVERY commercial flight without exception. Let airports set up thier own simple walk-through metal detectors at the front door, if they please.

[ixion]

1. I'm all for it. Disband the TSA and the DHS

and let's try and return to reality.

[CreekDog]

2. that's an interesting proposal...50,000 employees on the ground

to protect 30,000 commercial flights?

we could even have the government pay for their seats --would probably still be cheaper.

[liberal N proud]

3. Couple that with profiling

And then inform the public of any threats and procedures. Stop keeping everything secret from the public, none of it including the procedures is secret to the terrorist.

Profiling is easy with the right training, simply ask the right questions of people as they enter the airport and any time before and as they are boarding the plane.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

4. Finally a breath of fresh air.

[jp11]

5. How would that stop the theoretical bomber?

A gun won't stop a bomb, I'd agree air marshals, probably 2 of them on every flight but I'd also add bomb sniffing dogs to the security screening process and allow for the 'safe list' of people who voluntarily register. There are probably other things that could be done without making people feel like they are prisoners moving from one facility to another.

[quinnox]

6. Sounds good to me

A marshal or two on every flight makes sense, and also train the pilots in guns, and they each get one also in the cockpit so they can be backup if necessary.

[FourScore]

7. Oh good grief. n/t

[Scurrilous]

8. Brilliant!!

You rock! :thumbsup:

[Xithras]

9. The TSA was never needed.

The ONLY thing the government needed to do after 9/11 was legislate some new minimum screening requirements for airline travel. There is not, and never was, any justification for the creation of the TSA.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

10. But there was all that fear just sitting there to use to loot the country.

[lise]

11. hope the

trading in for a badge and guns was a joke.

Otherwise, I agree ,disband TSA and replace it with airlines supplying their own security.

Dogs can be trained to sniff out anything. Remember those dogs that are trained to sniff *cancers growing in cells of people*?

If they can detect that, I've no doubt they can detect any explosive.

A few dogs going up and down the line and that's it.

I entered the US thru an airport that used dogs. Back in the early 90's. It was fine. If you've no contraband on your person, the dog just passes you by.

The "problem" with dogs tho, is that
1) we wouldn't need the humongous, oppressive .gov apparatus to make it work.
2) only people with suspect material would be targeted so it'd harder to intiimidate the whole population into submission.
3) there'd be no crooks making gazillions off of scare machinery that doesn't even work anyway.
4) costs would be much lower for starting and maintaining the dog program so .gov would lose a reason to scream "We need more taxes to fund X!!!".

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. So you want Wackenhut doing this?

It will be better I guess.

Jesus, we need a whole sale revision of procedures, and yes dogs are included, but SOMEBODY will have to do it. By the way it was DONE BY THE AIRLINES before 9.11, up to 9.11 to be precise

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. The Air Marshal program is part of TSA

but I am sure you knew that. NOT.

Nor is this realistic either, or you prefer this being done by Wackenhut?

Somebody will have to... the question is, do you want FEDERAL OFFICERS (with more than just a small revision in procedures) doing this or a private contractor doing this?

[guardian]

13. But But But But

The corporations and Chertoff won't make as much money if you don't buy the porno x-rays at $150K a pop.

[Swamp Rat]

15. Disband the TSA, DHS, cut military spending, and stop bombing other countries and stealing their oil

Our security situation would likely improve a little.