Originally Posted by
jtodd
Whatever the reason for the $85, the end result is a payment of $85 that may allow a citizen to be treated decently by government agents. I don't care why the cost, just that there is, and there shouldn't be.
I personally am a big fan of user fees. The $85 is not a fee for different treatment - it is a fee paid to administer a program designed to determine IF you are low risk AND as such can be expedited through security.
Originally Posted by
jtodd
TSA - "Give me $85 and I might treat you and not infringe on your rights!"
Thats a completely different issue - If you believe Security Theatre at US airports is an infringement of rights, how does that change whether or not you have your shoes on or liquids in or out of your carryon?
Originally Posted by
jtodd
Imagine a program instituted by the government requiring you to have a particular id card to vote, and that id card costs $85. The $85 isn't to allow you to vote, it is just for the administration of creating the id card that the government mandated. But in effect, if you don't pay the $85, you don't get to vote.
Neither is right nor acceptable.
The 24th Amendment took care of the poll tax.
There is no prohibition on you flying absent the fee. Documenting (proving) that you are low risk requires that the government incur an additional cost and you gain the additional benefit of expedited security screening (note, expedited, not eliminated). You make the call if its worth it to you. Don't expect ME to pay for your convenience with MY tax dollars. You (and I) both pay user fees with each ticket to access airports and airplanes - this is no different.
The better analogy is the driving license. No one requires that you have one but if you want to drive a car on public streets that's required. You have to prove to the government that you are capable of driving. You could always take the bus, ride your bike, or walk. Same applies here - you have to prove to the government that you pose a lower level risk and that costs money to do and you are being told that you need to pay for it.