Originally Posted by
theddo
The TSA is charged with being right when they say someone isn't carrying weapons. They do a poor job of that, but that's what they are supposed to do. Their supervisiors thus accordingly accept a higher rate of false positives than false negatives.
If you have opinions on that you should probably contact your senator or congressman. I have a feeling not many would have the position "lets increase the amount of weapons smuggled through the TSA to reduce wait times" wouldn't fare well come election time.
And that's what it boils down to. The TSOs are public employees, if they have more work that means longer wait times for you and doesn't make any difference for them.
Wrong.
Longer wait times do not equal security.
Longer wait times indicate sloppy, inefficient, careless work and employees engaging in a deliberate work slowdown. Employees focused on a work slowdown are employees who are putting me and all other travelers at risk because they are distracted from the task at hand.
They are distracted by their focus on speed (slow), not by speed (fast).
No one's going to waste time contacting elected officials who only care about ensuring that their own crotches aren't sniffed and groped. 'Good' TSOs will continue to be tarred by the actions of their less conscientious co-workers while they stand by idly watching. Morale will continue to be low, and a modest vicious cycle will ensue: anyone with integrity and a strong work ethic will be motivated to leave and bullies, thieves and incompetents will increasingly dominate the work force.
If TSA HQ can't even come up with a tool to consistently and reliably educate the public on what will take place at the checkpoint (the rest of the world manages this just fine), then it's hardly surprising if there's a 'Wild West' no-rules mess at the checkpoint.
Hint: if the lack of rules and 'anything goes' attitude and 'consistent inconsistency' is working so much better than in the rest of the world, how come TSA keeps failing the Red Team tests? How come news around the world isn't filled with stories of airport bullying, backroom strip searches of ostomy patients, theft, terminal evacuations and missed contraband?