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Senator Schumer wants "Passenger Advocate" Positions (more TSA jobs) at All Airports
There's an AP article out that says the senior Senator from NY wants TSA to create "Passenger Advocate" positions at all Airports.
These "Passenger Advocates" would be TSA-employees. I think it is a very bad idea because abused PAX need to learn to call the police instead of additional TSA employees.
Here's the link to the article on the Seattle times website:
The article has several interesting details, including this one:
The TSA said Saturday that it is planning its own advocacy service.
In other words, a Senator is attempting to jump aboard an already-moving train.... too bad he doesn't realize he is actually trying to board a trainwreck.
The article also has some updated details about TSA's assault of Lenore Zimmerman.
There's an AP article out that says the senior Senator from NY wants TSA to create "Passenger Advocate" positions at all Airports.
These "Passenger Advocates" would be TSA-employees. I think it is a very bad idea because abused PAX need to learn to call the police instead of additional TSA employees.
...
This one from the article:
Quote:
Under the Schumer-Gianaris proposal, an advocate could be summoned in person by passengers if they feel they were inappropriately searched.
Totally useless. It's after the damage has been done, it's from the same agency that did the damage, and it consists of yet another TSA clerk telling the victim why it was necessary. So now, instead of two TSA perps in the private booth molesting the victim, you have those two and now a third trying to do damage control. Basically this adds insult to injury. You need someone paid for by a passenger-funded (perhaps via ticket fees) org that has arrest authority that can intervene before or during these violations.
That a US Senator would come up with such a useless and laughable non solution to this problem just confirms that it is not without cause that we are heading for 3rd world status financially, with this kind of leadership.
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No. Again, no.
This is an absurd proposal. To have a "passenger advocate" be an employee of the TSA is simply appalling because you can immediately see the position that advocate would be in.
If you want a mediator or an ombudsperson, then you have someone that is independent and has the authority to make decisions that must be followed.
Any "passenger advocate" that is on the direct payroll of TSA or DHS would have a conflict of interest, always fearful that unless they tow the TSA/DHS line, their services will no longer be needed.
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This is an absurd proposal. To have a "passenger advocate" be an employee of the TSA is simply appalling because you can immediately see the position that advocate would be in.
If you want a mediator or an ombudsperson, then you have someone that is independent and has the authority to make decisions that must be followed.
Any "passenger advocate" that is on the direct payroll of TSA or DHS would have a conflict of interest, always fearful that unless they tow the TSA/DHS line, their services will no longer be needed.
TSA doesn't want to hear from any independent sources, not on testing scanners, not on general screening procedures, not on anything.
"While the safety and security of our flights must be a top priority, we need to make sure that flying does not become a fear-inducing, degrading, and potentially humiliating experience," Schumer said.
Something about barn doors and horses I think .
Anyone else think the TSA is trying to stop passengers from calling LEOs ?
Or "The passenger advocate is not available, Sir".
Chuck is a BIG GOVERNMENT guy. Instead of abolishing the TSA he wants to make it bigger.
Going to call & email to let his legislative staff at the home office know about the FT community's strong sentiments. He's probably taking more Amtrak Acela these days - need to get him to fly a few more times LGA-DCA & go pass the TSA checkpoints and hear it from the public & directly from his constituents to get the message across.
Last edited by essxjay; Dec 11, 11 at 7:53 pm..
Reason: OT: OMNI/PR
A passenger advocate is a great idea, but the person needs to be completely independent and have no affiliation with the TSA. I am surprised that those in Congress have not thought about the importance of anyone in this type of position being independent. This independent person should then be able to overrule the TSA agent decisions on things (including times when the TSA agent claims tha the rules have changed for the day or refuses to follow rules for what is allowed). The difficult thing would be making sure that this person truly represents the interests of passengers and does not go along with the TSA on some issues, even if he or she is truly independent.
There are already plenty of people working at TSA who would (and do) happily tell passengers that they have been properly groped. There are sworn law enforcement officers at the checkpoints who are refusing to take reports of inappropriate touching...why would an advocate, TSA employee or not, be able to deal with this?
Nevermind that the time to deal with the obscene behaviors being perpetrated is before they happen, not afterward. The fact that passenger advocacy is even being considered should tell you something.
This would be a total waste of tax dollars and absolutely useless... I can just see this position becoming the place where they stick the biggest idiot at each airport -- who is probably the groper-in-chief... Kind of like when companies make the employee who's been hurt and out on work comp too many times the "safety guy"... Totally absurd proposal by the Senator.
The local LEOs at the airports need to begin taking complaints seriously from passengers. If they refuse, ask for their supervisor -- if they refuse, document everything (record your encounter n video if possible) and then get an attorney to file a 42 USC 1983 claim against the officer, the supervisor, and the department. Throw in a claim of negligent training, and negligent supervision in for good measure -- maybe even negligent retention if the airport cops are the local "rejects" on the force...
There are already plenty of people working at TSA who would (and do) happily tell passengers that they have been properly groped. There are sworn law enforcement officers at the checkpoints who are refusing to take reports of inappropriate touching...why would an advocate, TSA employee or not, be able to deal with this?
Nevermind that the time to deal with the obscene behaviors being perpetrated is before they happen, not afterward. The fact that passenger advocacy is even being considered should tell you something.
It tells everybody, including an increasing number of politicians that there is a problem that needs to be solved. A select few politicians with dim bulbs feel that it needs to be cleaned up, instead of preventing the spill. Creates more work and waste this way.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PhoenixRev
No. Again, no.
This is an absurd proposal. To have a "passenger advocate" be an employee of the TSA is simply appalling because you can immediately see the position that advocate would be in.
If you want a mediator or an ombudsperson, then you have someone that is independent and has the authority to make decisions that must be followed.
Any "passenger advocate" that is on the direct payroll of TSA or DHS would have a conflict of interest, always fearful that unless they tow the TSA/DHS line, their services will no longer be needed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by guflyer
A passenger advocate is a great idea, but the person needs to be completely independent and have no affiliation with the TSA. I am surprised that those in Congress have not thought about the importance of anyone in this type of position being independent. This independent person should then be able to overrule the TSA agent decisions on things (including times when the TSA agent claims tha the rules have changed for the day or refuses to follow rules for what is allowed). The difficult thing would be making sure that this person truly represents the interests of passengers and does not go along with the TSA on some issues, even if he or she is truly independent.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 10mmAutoFan
This would be a total waste of tax dollars and absolutely useless... I can just see this position becoming the place where they stick the biggest idiot at each airport -- who is probably the groper-in-chief... Kind of like when companies make the employee who's been hurt and out on work comp too many times the "safety guy"...
So that this passenger advocate is independent of the TSA, Thousands Standing Around, we could create a totally new government agency called ASA, Advocate Standing Around.
Senator Schumer wants "Passenger Advocate" Positions (more TSA jobs) at All Airports
I think it is a very bad idea because abused PAX need to learn to call the police instead of additional TSA employees.
.
