Originally Posted by FWAAA
I have to agree that it sounds fishy. Parts of the proposal are in the "too good to be true" category, like scissors, short bladed knives, ice picks, throwing stars, bows and arrows, etc.
If true, this represents the first intelligent thought from this agency in its 3.5 years of existence. But it sounds a little unbelievable.
I agree that it sounds too good to be true. However, maybe they picked a director that ISN'T an assclown?
I won't get my hopes up.
A few things I picked up:
"It also recommends that certain categories of passengers be exempt from airport security screening, such as members of Congress, airline pilots, Cabinet members, state governors, federal judges, high-ranking military officers and people with top-secret security clearances."
The pilots make sense. But what about everyone else who isn't in a uniform or famous like some people like Condie or Rumsfeld? Are they going to have to register to get some sort of card to be registered, or is a federal ID going to be enough?
People generally know what they're elected officials look like, and a few more famous ones, but most people couldn't pick out the rest.
And I can imagine those with TS clearances on cover assignments wouldn't their cover blown at security. This is where biometrics would be bad.
"The proposal also would allow ice picks, throwing stars and bows and arrows on flights. Allowing those items was suggested after a risk evaluation was conducted about which items posed the most danger."
Someone's finally using their noggin. ^
"It also proposes that passengers no longer routinely be required to remove their shoes at security checkpoints."
We were never supposed to routinely remove our shoes per SOP.
"Douglas R. Laird, former head of security for Northwest Airlines, said the proposal was a step backward. Laird said exempting certain categories of passengers from security screening would be dangerous because trusted groups have occasionally abused the privilege. "In an effort to be customer friendly, they're forgetting that their primary requirement is to keep airplanes safe," Laird said. "Either you screen everybody or why screen anybody?"
If you can't trust those officials and those with TS clearances who went thru months of background checks, WHO can you trust?
Sure, the system could be abused. Just like shoe carnivals abuse SOP right now. What's wrong with the shoe being on the other foot?
I also don't like that "If approved ..." caveat that's strung out in there.
Originally Posted by amejr999
It doesn't seem like a hoax, or the TSA spokesman would have denied it outright.
I agree. Baghdad Bob/TSA Tom would have denied it.
Bottom line: Sounds good, but I'm not holding my breath. Show me the money.