Really?? The entire "passenger security check" process is a huge hassle, but it totally pisses me off if the buffoons running it are batting .05 in detection (as the media is now reporting). That is a shockingly low number, but I guess possible in view of the miscreants who actually hold these jobs. Horrible process, and for the most part a mere publicity stunt to assuage the public. The screening of the folks who actually work on or around the planes remains poor. But if the effectiveness rate of the publicity stunt is only 5%, what's the point at all?
TSA: 95% Failure Rate?
- Thread starter JohnnieHolmesNole
- Start date
I have always found it ironic that the people shaking me down often speak only broken English, and have been in the U.S. for only a few years. What do we really know about the "security screeners"? Meanwhile, the government (presumably) has an almost-200-year-dossier on my family, which includes military service and a spot-clean record. Between me and him, who is the bigger risk?? Any incongruity there, or am I just a crazy old man who has not properly adapted to today's more sensitive mindset??
I don't think you can say we don't need them, remove security and see what happens, I'd feel less safe for sure.
What we do need is to properly fund these guys so they can recruit better tsa officers performing at a high level.
They must be doing a good job, Al Qaeda hates the TSA too
What exactly is the screening process or are you just making a blanket assumption without basis in fact?
There is less to detect because of TSA. They deter the crazies from even trying. So they have less opportunity to catch people. There is value to the TSA.
Somehow it always comes back to money. We spend billions on this program, I dont see good people coming out of the woodwork to sign up. Am I surprised by that? Not in the least.
Look we can all admit that the folks working TSA checkpoints might not be rocket scientists. But let's also not ignore the fact that since the creation of the TSA zero US aircraft have been hijacked/destroyed -- and it's not for a lack of people trying -- so they must be doing something right because it is absolutely not dumb luck.
Honestly the 5% success rate statistic is disappointing, but the media sensationalizes and skews it to rile up the masses -- and based on this thread, they've been successful.
Year over year, the experience of getting through security has become more efficient (esp now that I have Precheck, but even before that). Agents are becoming more and more friendly, engaging, and proactive about helping out -- now that's not the goal, it's to avoid a disaster, but it certainly makes it a more positive experience.
There's a lot of room for improvement, but it's certainly not a worthless program.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY STATISTICS ON TSA AIRPORT SCREENING
- Terrorist Plots Discovered: 0
- Natural Blondes: 3
- Transvestites: 133
- Hernias: 1,485
- Hemorrhoid Cases: 9,172
- Enlarged Prostates: 8,249
- Breast Implants: 59,350
"They act like they are listless, overweight people who don't give a {darn} when they are in actuality elite anti terrorist commandos"
OHNole43123
Seminole Insider
I don't know that the TSA is totally worthless. they have done a fine job over the years catching me with shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion in containers that are too big (got in a hurry packing for trips and forgot the size limit on containers for liquids in carry-ons). Rest assured, the TSA is keeping the traveling public safe from my daily hygiene routine.
It wasn't like planes were getting hijacked left and right before they instituted more strict TSA policies.
Have you been to an airport lately? There is a surplus of TSA agents standing around doing nothing. There are 10's of billions of dollars invested in their equipment and training.
It's mostly for show so people can feel safe.
I think the TSA has had zero to do with no hijacked airlines and more to do with our FBI/CIA/Military doing a much better job of actually tracking them. The TSA exists primarily due to money and as a manner to provide "comfort" to the people flying. There have also been no Elephant sightings in my neighborhood since I stopped wearing deodorant.
I think they've missed a few breast implants. I also think they've caused some of the hemorroid cases they claim to have found.
The creation of the TSA (especially the screeners) was an enormous overreaction to a problem that would never occur again. The 9/11 hijackers had boxcutters as weapons--not guns or bombs. We already had screening place, we just didn't worry about such items. Simple change of policy would have been enough. And, it would be near impossible to hijack a plane with boxcutters now because passengers will fight back.
You also have to realize TSA guidelines are constantly being adjusted based on intelligence from the CIA/FBI/NSA/whoever, having a single organization and chain of command makes it much more efficient to implement those guidelines overnight rather than emailing it around to a couple dozen private companies that ran these checkpoints.
It gets better...
At least 73 individuals employed in the airline industry should have been disqualified and flagged under terrorism-related activity codes by the TSA, a newly released report by Department of Homeland Security's inspector general shows. They were employed as airport vendors and by major airlines, in part because the TSA "is not authorized to receive all terrorism-related categories under current interagency watchlisting policy." The report says that the TSA delegated the vetting of potential hires to commercial airports, who relied on incomplete application data—such as only first initials, or missing Social Security numbers.
At least 73 individuals employed in the airline industry should have been disqualified and flagged under terrorism-related activity codes by the TSA, a newly released report by Department of Homeland Security's inspector general shows. They were employed as airport vendors and by major airlines, in part because the TSA "is not authorized to receive all terrorism-related categories under current interagency watchlisting policy." The report says that the TSA delegated the vetting of potential hires to commercial airports, who relied on incomplete application data—such as only first initials, or missing Social Security numbers.
Hmmm, I wonder what the failure rate would have been if they weren't so efficient...
Sorry, Bacardi, you lobbed that one up there and I couldn't resist.
According to the news yesterday, 73 airport workers with terrorism ties passed TSA background checks.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-tsa-security-lapse-20150609-story.html
Background checks by the Transportation Security Administration cleared 73 people for access to secure airport areas even though their names were on a federal database of possible terrorists, a senior official told a Senate committee Tuesday.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-tsa-security-lapse-20150609-story.html
Background checks by the Transportation Security Administration cleared 73 people for access to secure airport areas even though their names were on a federal database of possible terrorists, a senior official told a Senate committee Tuesday.
Is it humorous to anyone else that an entirely new cabinet department that has a yearly budget of over $30Billion was created by a president from the party that espouses smaller, limited government?
