As someone with a good friend in TSA, this is absolute nonsense.

I don't claim there aren't people within TSA who are on power trips; that's an unfortunate problem with any police agency (and TSA is at some level just that), and it's worse when the staff aren't paid very high wages. But the suggestion that it's a goal of the agency's management for passengers to be intimidated is just flat false.

I have no problem with people debating the need for TSA, and I'm myself distressed at what freedoms we've lost in the past 14 years. I also have no problem with valid criticisms of the agency, which needs to do a better job. But let's get real.