I was thinking - with the "mission creep" meter alarming a bit lately (taking over ID checks, SPOT, more electronics must be removed, etc), I wonder what airport screening will be like in 3-5 years. What's your predication?

There are two possible scenarios that come to mind for me:

1) TSA will implement another intrusive policy soon and that will break the camel's back. People will protest, and even Congress will realize TSA had gone too far. Airport security rules will loosen up, with SPOT only being at critical-security airports (such as NYC, Los Angeles, DC), shoes not being removed, and the liquid ban removed. This could take a while, but they'd eventually curtail those policies, and TSA screeners will stay as screeners, with help from security cameras and people being viligant. They'll also install puffers at each airport.

2) TSA will become increasingly intrusive, but people will continue to accept their BS. Eventually, TSA will get a list of stolen items from retailers, and try to find things that are stolen. The liquid ban will be there to stay, and eventually the ban would extend to breast milk, too (because mom's can be tewwoists, ya know). Carry-ons will become more limited, and cords will have to be checked. ID's will be REQUIRED to fly, and you'll be required to participate in a conversation about where you're going (yes, domestically)... more and more SPOT officers will watch and observe behaviors, and gate checking will eventually be mandatory, too. TSA screeners (officers) will also be equipped with taser gun's to keep people in line.

Those two are kind of the "extreme" ends - I hope #2 definitely won't come true.

So, post your own predictations/gut feelings of what will come of TSA/airport security.