Interesting question -- My views:

Certainly, the TSA has had a negative effect on the aviation industry. You can derive all sorts of anecdotal evidence here on FT that, I dare say, is representative of the population as a whole:

• Some people have stopped flying altogether
• Many (including me) have significantly moved out their personal drive/fly perimeter
• Some of us are taking other forms of public transportation
• Some of our foreign friends have stopped flying to the US

Since the TSA or their parent, DHS, is not a stakeholder in the viability of the airline industry, they basically don't care. As a matter of fact, the TSA mission is complete if the whole airline industry goes under and nobody is flying -- kinda' like cancer cells that declare victory when they have killed their host, only to die themselves.

I would say that the TSA has caused a shift in the economy away from the airline industry into other industries. These days, there are other factors having a much more significant impact on the economy. Most people made up their minds long before the ID checking idiocy, so I doubt that this stunt, in and of itself, has had a measurable effect. Most of the damage was done with the Shoe Fetish, theft from baggage, and the War On Shampoo.

But, one thing I WILL say with complete certainty is that the TSA has not HELPED the economy!