To give TSA some credit it has done somethings right, unfortunately the same cannot be said of DHS.
What TSA has done correctly.
1) The quality of the screening has gone up. Sure there are some new rules that slow things down, but for the most part the quality of screening has gone up. I know we all hate the shoe thing, the laptop thing and what ever other thing TSA decides to implement on that day. I do however, understand the laptop removal, at least from the main bag. The amount of electronics and wires in the bag makes it difficult to identify other items in the bag.
2) The reduction of the number of items on the prohibited items list is a sign that there are some people with brain cells working in TSA. Granted it is not the list that makes the most sense, but it is an improvement. I understand that inital list was an overreaction after 9/11, but I believe that over time the list will get more reasonable. (unless some idiot on capital hill decides to get involved)
3) Many of the people who work for TSA are people who actually care about doing their job. However, there are those that are rude beyond belief. There should be a mechanism in the TSA to remove those folks from contact with the traveling public. (put them on the employee lines, or somewhere else.)
4) A level of consistency has at least been created. In the pre 9/11 days we didn't complain about the consistency, why because it wasn't consistent. Too many different people running the systems. And they weren't that effective either. TSA at least has some ground rules that almost everyone seems to follow. The problem we have with the system is the rouge screeners who decide to do things their way. We are just more sensitive to the issues now than we were in the past.
Now for what TSA has done poorly (AKA FT gripes)
1) Checked bag screening procedures. The encouragement to leave bags unlocked has lead to a number of problems, and more are sure to come. Be it theft from bags by screeners, or ramp agents an unlocked bag makes it all easier. Further opening a bag outside the presence of its owner does nothing to enhance security. If the passenger is present during screening of the bag it serves two purposes. 1) The agents can gauge the pax reaction to the process, and can imidiately aprehend or otherwise question the passenger if an item is found in the bag. 2) The passenger can ensure that no items are added to the bag to be used for smuggling purposes. Further It should be required that all bags be locked.
2) The whole SSSS thing -- I have asked many times and have not gotten an answer from any screener to the following question -- "Do you find more prohibited items on passengers having SSSS than you do on non-SSSS passegner and passengers randomly selected?" In other words is the percentage of hits on SSSS passengers significantly higher than the number of hits on non-SSSS passengers? If there is a not a significant difference, then the SSSS program is nothing more than the dog and pony show we believe it is.
3) Shoe policy -- In reality it needs to be an all or nothing approach. In otherwords, either all shoes need to be swabbed or just forget about it. It slows down the line, and adds very little to the overall equation.
4) Stupid pilot programs to find the bad guys. These attempts are just a waste of money in an attempt to justify the contiued procedures.
I guess what i am saying is that TSA has been both good and bad. The problem for them has been a bloated management chain that doesn't understand the problems the line folks go through. They respond to the lowest common denomenator (The anything for security folks) and do not consider the real world. The real world needs to realize that there are risks and things will happen. TSA should be risk mittigation and not risk avoidence.