85 billion a year hit to US economy

[Mvector]

At TSA security checkpoints in airports across America, ‘tis the season for government gropers and festive full body scan. Those increasing anti-air travel sentiments worsened by ongoing intrusions at the hands of the Transportation Security Administration are causing more and more Americans to forego flights as travelers this season are saying they’d rather ride busses and cars then deal with airplanes this year.

According to the results of a survey just released by the US Travel Association, two-out-of-five travelers this season are saying they’re trying to skip the plane and those pesky lines and checkpoints in lieu of other methods of transportation. It might not seem like a substantial number, but the association’s CEO, Roger Dow, tells US News & World Report, "Our research shows that reducing hassle without compromising security will encourage more Americans to fly — as many as two to three additional trips a year — leading to an additional $85 billion in spending that would support 900,000 American jobs.”

If Congress wants to keep jobs, perhaps they should pull the plug on stripping passengers of their clothes and humiliating them in terminals from coast-to-coast.

 

[Mvector]

Congress is set to give the green light on funding for a massive expansion of TSA checkpoints, with the federal agency already responsible for over 9,000 such checkpoints in the last year amidst increased fears America is turning into a police state following the passage of the ‘indefinite detention’ bill.

The increase in funding has nothing to do with the TSA’s role in airports – this is about creating 12 more VIPR teams to add the federal agency’s 25 units that are already scattered across the country and responsible for manning checkpoints on highways, in bus and train terminals, at sports events and even high school prom nights.

“The TSA’s 25 “viper” teams — for Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response — have run more than 9,300 unannounced checkpoints and other search operations in the last year. Department of Homeland Security officials have asked Congress for funding to add 12 more teams next year,” reports the L.A. Times.

 

[nazzdack]

Quote from Mvector:
----Congress is set to give the green light on funding for a massive expansion of TSA....

?..... the increase in funding will be 85-billion dollars and the hiring of 900,000 people? :eek:

 

[zdreg]

it is just the beginning for Obama and his crew. someday US residents will need an internal transport to travel from one state to the next.

 

[Fractals 'R Us]

Quote from zdreg:

it is just the beginning for Obama and his crew. someday US residents will need an internal transport to travel from one state to the next.

I wonder how much they can pull off... there was this plan from the Cold War era: Overwhelm the system and collapse the US, then after that do a massive takeover and score one for Karl Marx. Would people still think that was a good idea after seeing Marxism's track record of abysmal failure? Whoopi Goldberg maybe... I'm not sure about the typical Democrat, some might think that is good, some might not...

I can't see more than a 15% support level for such an insane idea so if they are going to do it they have to do it without support. They will need to use Democrats and Republicans iow. Republicans can do the most astoundingly socialistic things and call it "family values" or "greater good" and nobody says anything, Democrats can do the most astoundingly capitalistic things like install a cabinet of Wall Streeters, as in Obama's original cabinet... I never heard any Democrats I knew complaining about that...

 

[kiwi_trader]

Quote from zdreg:

it is just the beginning for Obama and his crew. someday US residents will need an internal transport to travel from one state to the next.

It aint Obama. Bush started it. Other governments, left or right, love it too. The only thing politicians seem to like more is giving themselves pay rises.

 

[oldtime]

Laugh if you want. I want my government to protect me from everything. American exceptionalism is just a myth. Without a powerful government we would be just like all the other countries where might makes right. America is the land of the free because we are free from worry when we get on a plane that somebody is going to blow it up. Try getting on an airplane in some country that doesn't have a TSA and see how free you feel.

 

[Free Thinker]

Quote from Mvector:

At TSA security checkpoints in airports across America, ‘tis the season for government gropers and festive full body scan. Those increasing anti-air travel sentiments worsened by ongoing intrusions at the hands of the Transportation Security Administration are causing more and more Americans to forego flights as travelers this season are saying they’d rather ride busses and cars then deal with airplanes this year.

According to the results of a survey just released by the US Travel Association, two-out-of-five travelers this season are saying they’re trying to skip the plane and those pesky lines and checkpoints in lieu of other methods of transportation. It might not seem like a substantial number, but the association’s CEO, Roger Dow, tells US News & World Report, "Our research shows that reducing hassle without compromising security will encourage more Americans to fly — as many as two to three additional trips a year — leading to an additional $85 billion in spending that would support 900,000 American jobs.”

If Congress wants to keep jobs, perhaps they should pull the plug on stripping passengers of their clothes and humiliating them in terminals from coast-to-coast.

what would be the cost if a couple of planes blew up in mid air?

 

[oldtime]

Quote from Free Thinker:

what would be the cost if a couple of planes blew up in mid air?

If planes just randomly blew up in mid air, I bet you that the only airlines that wouldn't suffer are those that offer regular flights to Las Vegas. Then we'd see who the real gamblers are.

 

[zdreg]

Quote from oldtime:

Laugh if you want. I want my government to protect me from everything. American exceptionalism is just a myth. Without a powerful government we would be just like all the other countries where might makes right. America is the land of the free because we are free from worry when we get on a plane that somebody is going to blow it up. Try getting on an airplane in some country that doesn't have a TSA and see how free you feel.

TSA is not the right way with intrusive machines and pat downs.

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-01-11/...ort-security-isaac-yeffet-el-al?_s=PM:OPINION
How the Israelis do airport security
AIRPORT SECURITY
January 11, 2010

In the wake of the failed Christmas Day bombing of Northwest Flight 253, authorities are ramping up air passenger screening, particularly for those flying from 14 nations that the U.S. describes as "state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest."

Hundreds more full body scanning machines are on order for U.S. airports. But some airline security experts say the real answer to greater security is to follow the approach used by Israel's airline, El Al.

Isaac Yeffet, the former head of security for El Al and now an aviation security consultant in New York, said El Al has prevented terrorism in the air by making sure every passenger is interviewed by a well-trained agent before check-in.
___

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/aviation-security-and-the-israeli-model/

perhaps that it impossible in the US which prefers mechanization and uneducated people to handle security and has rules against profiling.