The TSA was created as post 9/11 security theatre. It serves no purpose, and has stopped zero actual threats. What it actually does is normalize warrantless search and seizure of personal property, as well as highly invasive searches of your person. This is in direct violation of our rights, specifically the 4th Amendment:
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
In addition to the above, the TSA represents a massive waste of taxpayer dollars. It basically serves no purpose than as a jobs program for people who are otherwise unemployable. And that’s hardly a sufficient reason to keep it around, given the massive violations of our rights it represents. And so the policy I’d like to propose is simply this: Abolish the TSA.
Since TSA’s inception in 2001, the TSA has been responsible for maintaining security standards that prevent potentially dangerous individuals and items from boarding flights. In 2022 alone, TSA officers intercepted a record 6,542 firearms at airport checkpoints, with around 88% of them being loaded. Also, in 2021, the TSA intercepted over 10,000 pounds of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, at airports across the country. Beyond drug busts, the TSA has apprehended thousands of individuals with outstanding warrants, helping to remove criminals from public spaces. Also, TSA, in 2021, was able to flag 1,000 passengers attempting to travel using false identification and were able to notify authorities. The statistics I provided are just some in recent years not even counting all since 2001 so personally I have to disagree with this policy.
These are functions that were regularly being handled by existing law enforcement prior to the TSA, and they would do so again should the TSA be removed. The TSA has expanded well beyond its original mandate, and still performs highly illegal searches and seizures that routinely violate the 4th amendment. We do not need excess bloated beaurocracy, and the TSA is absolutely that. I am hardly alone in this opinion either:
I don’t doubt there are others who agree with you as well. The article you provided, while offering some information to consider, is very opinion based in a blog form rather than providing both pros and cons to the TSA so people can create informed opinions rather than trying to sway you to one view point. Just as the left attempts to persuade people in one way of thinking through what they present, the right needs to ensure a full view is being shown and not in attempts to influence others. I think it’s important to consider that while the TSA has faced operational inefficiencies, it has still played a significant role in improving aviation security by implementing standardized procedures across airports, deterring criminal activity, and providing a visible security presence that reassures travelers. Also many of the criticisms regarding missed items in undercover tests have led to reforms and technology improvements within the agency. The TSA also conducts thousands of daily screenings, intercepting a significant number of dangerous items, including guns and drugs as I mentioned and the statistics I provided on just in recent years. Though imperfect, the TSA fulfills an essential role in preventing large-scale security threats that would be costly to overlook. Rather than eliminating the agency, ongoing reform, training, and technology upgrades could further enhance its effectiveness. While “security theater” is a common critique, the visible presence of strict security measures can serve as a deterrent to possible criminals or terrorists. Such as there is a call to create stronger borders to prevent the influx of drugs and criminal illegals, that’s a goal of the TSA as well. Though I agree the TSA definitely could be improved through reform, I still have to disagree that abolishing it completely is the answer. Thanks for the chat.
100% agreement here - the TSA is ABSOLUTELY “Security Theater”. I’ve seen more inane foolishness performed by TSA than by any other agency, and that’s saying a LOT. There are things that could be done to improve security, but taking tweezers off wheelchair-bound 90-year-old women is NOT one of them (Yes, saw that happen.)
In addition to the waste of our money on “looking secure” while not actually providing rational risk-based security actions, TSA has served to foster an entire organization that rewards petty tyrants.
Time for TSA to be deconstructed and actual risk-based, effective security procedures to be put in place.
Security Theater Needs To Go.
There’s other ways to achieve security as well, and arguably far more effective ones at that. For all their problems, Israel has one of the most secure systems in the world without a TSA equivalent. And it works quite well through the use of profiling and security officers, as well as the equivalent of Sky Marshals. And they have to deal with threats from actual terrorists far more frequently.
This should be bundled holistically with the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 which has evolved into significant bureaucracy and constitutional infringements. In the name of “the government will keep you safe from terrorists” after 9-11, we ended up with manufacturing in large industries being impacted by operational costs and American workers who have to get TWIC cards, even after doing background checks, interviews, drug screening, etc. It creates expensive red tape for individuals, companies, & manufacturers and it just keeps growing. MTSA is now evolving into requiring biometric screening of already vetted employees who already hold TWIC. What is next? Why are American employees being treated like threats?
We are interviewed, screened, vetted, scanned, etc. as American citizens just to get a manufacturing job while illegal immigrants pour across our borders unvetted, unscreened, and unscanned.
What started as “protecting us from terrorists” has evolved into bigger government, bigger costs, and bigger infringements on Americans in certain manufacturing work and all air travel.
It’s a proposal, not a news report that requires balance. This is not the place to provide pros and cons. He’s right. The TSA is not needed, and violates people’s constitutional right to be secure in their persons. I stopped flying when the TSA started molesting people. It had a huge impact on my life, because I used to fly to visit relatives. It has affected my relationships with distant relatives. There are other ways to deal with the issues you raised earlier. If you want, have sniffer dogs for drugs. Metal detectors will detect most guns. And pilots and airline personnel should be armed, or have marshalls on board. Israel has no problem with hijackings, and they don’t have TSA. Their program is highly effective. Study it. Any agency that molests people is not just “imperfect”. It is an abomination. And they’re not screening the people who service the planes. They should be screening everyone if they are going to screen anyone. TSA is a joke.
It’s sad to hear the effects it has taken on your life but just as the left attempts, we shouldn’t make changes solely based on people’s personal feelings and areas they take offense without providing what may be necessary for this country. I don’t disagree, as I mentioned above, that there must be reform in our airport security and possibly retrain the TSA to perform duties that you have mentioned. I personally just disagree to completely abolish it to please some peoples feelings of them. For me, security takes precedence over comfort. Also, the point of this forum is to collaborate with other citizens on policies and consider making changes, improvements, etc. Part of this includes making informed opinions based on research, polls, studies, and so on which is why it’s important to provide sources for others.
Not to mention the machines we have to walk through have not been tested for safety on humans. There is no disclosure of such, which is required as it is a medical issue. They use either microwave or radiation, neither of which is healthy especially when unneccessary.
The TSA may be a deterrent, but a better, more effective operation could replace this. TSA agents come across as petty tyrants who enjoy the habitual humiliation of every day travelers, particularly those who present no clear danger (ie young mothers with babies and small children, grandparents, etc). These are people who would not succeed in other jobs and that’s exactly why they’re in these roles. It’s the DMV of the skies. Overall, the experience is never enjoyable and probably causes most of the stress people experience when travelling. Why can’t we take a bottle of water or even a jar of nut butter through security? If you can buy it at the airport, you should be able to carry it through security.
Its just one of the things the out of control child of the 50 states (the parents by the way of the out of control child) have tried to steal from the states. ALL federal agencies WITH the exception of boarder patrol and ICE ( which should be the same thing) are NOT granted to the federal government at all. the tenth amendment proves this. LOOK it up I am not posting the text yet again. You may say WAIT what about the 14th amendment. I have a post already outlining its Unratified state. That amendment is NOT even REAL. Its true its in the congressional record. A state judge already determined using the congressional record it to be a fraud. WHY is this important? 1st of all the wordage of the 14th is very deceptive. SUBJECT TO in all capital means SLAVE. Is not a salve SUBJECT TO its master? plus both democrat and republicans should want to see it go. Why you ask? Because they can charge anyone whos ever in power with fake crimes listed in said fraudulent amendment. Plus this little line here thats a kicker. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void. basically it state the government can run up the debt as much as they want and you as a little pee on have no right to question their spending.