Anyone watching DHS Senate Committee Hearing "See Something, Say Something..."
Jun 22, 2011, 8:59 am
#1
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Anyone watching DHS Senate Committee Hearing "See Something, Say Something..."
The hearing is titled "See Something, Say Something, Do Something: Next Steps for Securing Rail and Transit" and the witnesses include John Pistole, Peter Boynton and Stephen Flynn.
Written testimony is available here.
I was only able to watch from 10:20 a.m. on, due to work meetings, so I missed most of the discussion about expanding DHS programs to rail, sea, roads, etc. and the effectiveness of the See Something campaign.
I liked some of Stephen Flynn's testimony - very strong comments that the TSA/DHS must stop alienating the public and even more strong comments to quit reacting to yesterday's threats (his written testimony lists 4 problems with DHS/TSA implementation of its policies, etc. and the alienation of the public comment was brought up repeatedly. It did make an impression.)
I thought Rand Paul was great - he went after Pistole for the TSA comments that flying is a privilege when it is not (he went into a bit of the case law on that matter), and the patdowns. Pistole stated in response that while it was a little premature to be mentioning this, he'll be making an announcement soon about a change in the procedure to screen children. Pistole, IIRC, didn't address the "flying is a right" mentality he and his organization touts.
Sen. Landreau, while expressing dismay about the budget cuts, did go after Pistole that the travel industry is very concerned about the TSA/DHS policies and how it's chasing foreign tourists away from the US.
Anyway, I didn't see a thread, and I didn't know if anyone else was watching and if so, any thoughts/reactions?
Written testimony is available here.
I was only able to watch from 10:20 a.m. on, due to work meetings, so I missed most of the discussion about expanding DHS programs to rail, sea, roads, etc. and the effectiveness of the See Something campaign.
I liked some of Stephen Flynn's testimony - very strong comments that the TSA/DHS must stop alienating the public and even more strong comments to quit reacting to yesterday's threats (his written testimony lists 4 problems with DHS/TSA implementation of its policies, etc. and the alienation of the public comment was brought up repeatedly. It did make an impression.)
I thought Rand Paul was great - he went after Pistole for the TSA comments that flying is a privilege when it is not (he went into a bit of the case law on that matter), and the patdowns. Pistole stated in response that while it was a little premature to be mentioning this, he'll be making an announcement soon about a change in the procedure to screen children. Pistole, IIRC, didn't address the "flying is a right" mentality he and his organization touts.
Sen. Landreau, while expressing dismay about the budget cuts, did go after Pistole that the travel industry is very concerned about the TSA/DHS policies and how it's chasing foreign tourists away from the US.
Anyway, I didn't see a thread, and I didn't know if anyone else was watching and if so, any thoughts/reactions?
Jun 22, 2011, 9:06 am
#2
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On-Line now at:
http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index...ngs.LiveStream
http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index...ngs.LiveStream
Jun 22, 2011, 11:43 am
#3
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In Pissy's written testimony, he said "privacy" twice and "civil liberties" once in a document containing 2507 words.
From Flynn's testimony:
The video of the hearing is still up on the Committee web page.
From Flynn's testimony:
How Not to Advance Rail and Transit Sucurity:In crafting a way forward in rail and transit security, we should first avoid four-missteps that have marked the post-9/11 approach to homeland security.
The first rule is to avoid alienating the very public that security officials are obligated to protect. This is a lesson that was learned the hard way by the U.S. military in Iraq and it is now imbedded in the Army Field Manual that guides counterinsurgency operations. Getting the public to submit to new security measures as a condition of their gaining access to transportation systems is relatively straight forward. But coercing compliance has the downside of creating passivity and often generating resentment. Alternatively, when the general public understands and views an effort to advance security as appropriate, they will actively collaborate in achieving its goal. When it comes to rail and transit security, federal officials should pursue efforts that engender the support and active involvement of the riding public and the operators they serve.
The first rule is to avoid alienating the very public that security officials are obligated to protect. This is a lesson that was learned the hard way by the U.S. military in Iraq and it is now imbedded in the Army Field Manual that guides counterinsurgency operations. Getting the public to submit to new security measures as a condition of their gaining access to transportation systems is relatively straight forward. But coercing compliance has the downside of creating passivity and often generating resentment. Alternatively, when the general public understands and views an effort to advance security as appropriate, they will actively collaborate in achieving its goal. When it comes to rail and transit security, federal officials should pursue efforts that engender the support and active involvement of the riding public and the operators they serve.
Jun 22, 2011, 11:47 am
#4
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In Pissy's written testimony, he said "privacy" twice and "civil liberties" once in a document containing 2507 words.
From Flynn's testimony:
How Not to Advance Rail and Transit Sucurity:In crafting a way forward in rail and transit security, we should first avoid four-missteps that have marked the post-9/11 approach to homeland security.
The first rule is to avoid alienating the very public that security officials are obligated to protect. This is a lesson that was learned the hard way by the U.S. military in Iraq and it is now imbedded in the Army Field Manual that guides counterinsurgency operations. Getting the public to submit to new security measures as a condition of their gaining access to transportation systems is relatively straight forward. But coercing compliance has the downside of creating passivity and often generating resentment. Alternatively, when the general public understands and views an effort to advance security as appropriate, they will actively collaborate in achieving its goal. When it comes to rail and transit security, federal officials should pursue efforts that engender the support and active involvement of the riding public and the operators they serve.
The video of the hearing is still up on the Committee web page.
From Flynn's testimony:
How Not to Advance Rail and Transit Sucurity:In crafting a way forward in rail and transit security, we should first avoid four-missteps that have marked the post-9/11 approach to homeland security.
The first rule is to avoid alienating the very public that security officials are obligated to protect. This is a lesson that was learned the hard way by the U.S. military in Iraq and it is now imbedded in the Army Field Manual that guides counterinsurgency operations. Getting the public to submit to new security measures as a condition of their gaining access to transportation systems is relatively straight forward. But coercing compliance has the downside of creating passivity and often generating resentment. Alternatively, when the general public understands and views an effort to advance security as appropriate, they will actively collaborate in achieving its goal. When it comes to rail and transit security, federal officials should pursue efforts that engender the support and active involvement of the riding public and the operators they serve.
The video of the hearing is still up on the Committee web page.
I'm watching the video now.
Jun 22, 2011, 11:59 am
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When it comes to rail and transit security, federal officials should pursue efforts that engender the support and active involvement of the riding public and the operators they serve.
Do I detect a new government advertising campaign in the making, e.g.
Co-operating Cheerfully at The Checkpoint To Save Lives?
Do I detect a new government advertising campaign in the making, e.g.
Co-operating Cheerfully at The Checkpoint To Save Lives?
Jun 22, 2011, 12:33 pm
#6
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Getting the public to submit to new security measures as a condition of their gaining access to transportation systems is relatively straight forward. But coercing compliance has the downside of creating passivity and often generating resentment. Alternatively, when the general public understands and views an effort to advance security as appropriate, they will actively collaborate in achieving its goal.
Is the American public now viewed as insurgents? Traveling will amount to running the gamut of a poorly conceived military operation as performed by TSA.
This is a lesson that was learned the hard way by the U.S. military in Iraq and it is now imbedded in the Army Field Manual that guides counterinsurgency operations.
Jun 22, 2011, 6:08 pm
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Jun 22, 2011, 6:21 pm
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Jun 22, 2011, 8:08 pm
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Jun 22, 2011, 9:21 pm
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Pissy never did answer Senator Paul's question about flying as a right or a privilege. Also, he regurgitated worn out and irrelevant examples why they grope young kids and people in wheel chairs. Senator Paul's staff even had a poster-sized picture of a clerk groping a child...well done!
Jun 23, 2011, 6:54 am
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Bruce
Jun 24, 2011, 8:32 am
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So this is the first time (I'm sure I've missed it before) that I've actually heard someone quote case law in trying to refute the "flying is a privilege not a right" argument.
I'm not skilled in legal research - does anyone have links or more info on the cases referenced by Sen. Paul?
I'm not skilled in legal research - does anyone have links or more info on the cases referenced by Sen. Paul?
Jun 24, 2011, 10:16 am
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So this is the first time (I'm sure I've missed it before) that I've actually heard someone quote case law in trying to refute the "flying is a privilege not a right" argument.
I'm not skilled in legal research - does anyone have links or more info on the cases referenced by Sen. Paul?
I'm not skilled in legal research - does anyone have links or more info on the cases referenced by Sen. Paul?
TITLE 49 U.S.C. § 40103 : US Code - Section 40103: Sovereignty and use of airspace
(a) Sovereignty and Public Right of Transit. -
(1) The United States Government has exclusive sovereignty of airspace of the United States.
(2) A citizen of the United States has a public right of transit through the navigable airspace.
http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/49/VII/A/I/401/40103