Yes, the Republicans want to make Obama look bad and they haven't given a sh*t about civil liberties

[boston bean]

for a very long time and yes their intentions and actions and protest are suspect.

But it is Obama himself who makes himself look bad.

Many Democrats have been complaining and protesting the infringement on our rights since the passage of the Patriot Act. Which preceded and brought about all this naked picture taking and grope ups and downs.

So, you might say.....well he has to do this or the Republicans will attack him for being weak on national security?

Well, may I ask, which criticism and attacks would make you feel more comfortable? The one where he gives in to more erosion of civil liberties or the criticism of standing up for civil liberties?

This is a box he has painted himself into, he left himself with one side who is just attacking to attack and the other who stands on long held principles.

Is the answer for those who criticize based on long held principle to do a 360% just because Obama is in office?

That's what I get from some peeps here on DU, if I've misunderstood, please let me know where I have gone wrong?

[leveymg]

1. Some of us who fly have never had problems with airport security.

We just accept that going through various forms of search are necessary to getting to our destinations in one piece.

Years before the new scanners and enhanced pat downs, I was randomly frisked. And, yes, there was a light once-over the groin area. But, that didn't bother me as much as the added fear that would result if nobody ever was.

It doesn't really have anything to do with partisan politics or the fact that Obama's in office. No 360 here.

[boston bean]

3. Honest question, if GWB enacted these policies you would be grateful to him?

I'm not asking this to accuse you of anything. I take you at you word that you are willing to go through this to be "safer". But would we have found you on DU defending the policy?

[leveymg]

4. I'm not grateful, just resigned to their necessity. The policies aren't new, just some of the

technology.

I went through one of the new scanners about a month ago, before this became an issue, and didn't notice anything different at the time until the lady told me to raise my arms. I thought the machine was just a metal detector.

If we had a GOP President now (g-d forbid), I think I would still be speaking out and be saying essentially the same thing.

The only thing that might be different would be my political assessment of the motives of some of those against the scanners and pat downs. I have to admit that my own political biases probably strengthen my suspicions that some of the TSA opponents may be extremely cynical and see political gain if TSA were to reverse course, and a bomb were to get on a plane. Otherwise, my view on the subject wouldn't be much different.

[boston bean]

5. I much appreciate your answer.

I understand what could happen politically if there was a reverse on this now and a bomb made it on a plane, but this (enhanced pat downs) is new policy from the Obama admin. If we are going to be purely political, this wouldn't be an issue politically if a bomb got on the plane if these pat down procedures weren't introduced.


I think people were upset about the new back scatters, and many were opting for a regular pat down and they needed to somehow make people submit to the back scatter by making it preferable to enhanced pat downs.

They want to install more of these machines and the enhanced pat down is basically a red herring to help get people to submit to the back scatter. And it seems to be working.

People are focusing on he pat downs more than the back scatter machines.

[leveymg]

6. You're welcome. There are two types of machine in use, backscatter X-ray and millimeter wave radio.

The latter seems, on the face of it, the less potentially significant from a health perspective. Neither is what I would consider ideal. I posted something on the companies that make both here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9623937&mesg_id=9624243

[still_one]

2. My criticism is very simple, after 6 months it was very clear that you would not be able to work

with the republicans. The HCR was a perfect example. His administration starting compromising even before negotiations began.

Enough is enough Mr. President, people elected you to fight for the regular person, not to cave in

Have you learned anything?