Oh, by the way, suggested reading:

http://www.nizkor.org/features/falla...ery-slope.html

I'm sure you missed my earlier post:

At the same time, I've shown multiple instances supporting my claims. What have you shown to support yours?

OK...then get rid of credit checks. Fine with me. Pick another means for evaluation for credit cards and/or Navy contracts.

I'm not in favor of using an extant broken system as justification for additional broken systems. If the credit bureaus really are that broken then trash them, too.

FWIW, I had an error on my credit report and was actually able to get it expunged with a couple of letters in a period of 2-3 months. Show me someone other than a Senator from Massachusetts who was able to get similar results in a similar time frame from the TSA and I'd be amazed.

+1

TSA in 2012 will look much the same as TSA in 2008. Unless there is another transportation-related major terrorist attack; in that case, it will be much more restrictive.

The next question is whether the folks here who are so hostile about the current TSA (and by extension, the current administration) will be equally hostile about the next TSA and the presidential administration behind it. Or if they are just partisan political hacks masquerading as indignant civil libertarians.

Fair enough. I misread your post, sorry. :(
I don't believe that the Government cares about anyone's movements save those who are reasonaly believed to be a danger.
If they DID care about tracking movements, it would be so near to impossible as to not bother me.
I don't have the slightest concern talkig on the phone. YMMV.
I think you are likely hearing black helicopters, but I appreciate how paranoia of a government could lead to that.
Yes, I understand that you view it that way.
Fair nuff! ;)
You're right, I don't think we've lost freedoms. Others MMV.
Dave

Didn't miss it but did misread it - sorry.

Why do you think it is so hard? The "government" (in the form of the police with a subpoena) can already track your movements pretty easily through credit card transactions. The data is surprisingly available. The only thing that makes it more than a trivial process is that there is no centralized data repository of "everything" out there. But the government is desperately trying to produce one.

While it is a noble goal to have in place a system that can be used to track those who are "reasonably believed to be a danger," I am not willing to sacrifice my personal freedom to accomplish that goal. If that means that it takes more people or harder work on the part of those tasked with tracking those who are actually dangerous, so be it.

And I don't think that there is someone actively listening on the phone when I am having a conversation. But I am quite certain that there are systems in operation that can monitor the traffic and pop up a red flag in a system somewhere if a watchword it mentioned. And that would trigger further investigation as appropriate. Echelon was the name of the system for a while; I have no idea what it is called now.

Yes, but to WHAT END???
That, I believe, is the essence of our disagreement.
You are, for perhaps noble reasons, concerned about this ability.
I, OTOH, haven't the slightest concern about whether or not the US Government will ever be concerned about my MidCon 1 day turnaround MR's.
Even less so about my 8 hour turns in SIN.

If I were on the lam for murder or roberry or kidnapping or Tax evasion, then I'd be more worried about it.
So be it.
I truly hope that you are never the victim of a child kidnapping from your home or the home of any person close to you.
I believe you would feel markedly difficult in that case - especially b/c of my belief that the governement's interest (and therefore willingness) to track those of us WITHOUT need is d*mn near zero.
Probably true.
To WHAT END??
OK, so call me on my mobile, say BOMB, then CHENEY, then IRAQ and wait about 15 years.

Tell me what happened as a result.
Dave

Yes, the old I have nothing to hide argument. :rolleyes:

Wonder how many people in this forum have masking tape "x"s on their windows like Agent Mulder in X-files.....:rolleyes:

None, I suspect.

Many of us, on the other hand, are passionately concerned about the direction this country's government seems determined to head us all down - TSA is a prime example of what's going wrong.

So you are willing to risk that every detail of your life be exposed, because you have nothing to hide?

Don't doubt this will happen. Are you sufficiently pure to run for president - not one little iota in your background? If you are remotely human, you are not.

Understand the quote below.

If you choose to run for President, you do so knowing that any iota out there can/may become public knowledge. I'm not running for president, so the New York Times or the the US Government don't care if they here 4 seconds of a phone call where I discuss my sister-in-law cheating on her husband, or some kind of other little trinket of useless knowledge.

I haven't given it a thought.
Likely won't give it a thought.
Those of you spending time thinking about it have too much time on your hands, IMO.
No, I couldn't run for POTUS.
So what?
I understand CLEARLY that John Dean is an idiot - that's all I need to know about his opinion on civil liberties.
Dave