http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=4597

Chertoff states, "Aviation security. After 9/11, TSA was created to deny terrorists the opportunity to use aircraft as weapons and to defend our vital national infrastructure."

To the surprise of the TSS crowd, the TSA works.

Anyone have a list of the plots thwarted and/or terrorists captured by the DHS ?

If we had any credible intelligence that terrorists had tried to use aircraft as weapons post-9/11, then maybe we could lend this statement some modicum of credulity. You can't prove a negative!

"Let me observe that Congress intended TSA to be almost entirely supported by user fees, but it is not. The administration has proposed a modest increase, a few dollars, in user fees to fund the infrastructure necessary to do this job right. I believe travelers are willing to pay a few dollars more per trip to improve aviation security and enhance efficiency. I call on Congress and the aviation industry to work with me to find a formula that will work. By collecting user fees for aviation, we can free up precious DHS resources for other very important security priorities."

This is just one of the tidbits that I take issue with in his speech.

I fully agree.

The "users" of airport security include all 300 million of us, not simply those who fly frequently. To expect airline pax to pony up nearly $5 billion per year for this nonsense is unrealistic.

I'm actually a Bush supporter (voted for him both times) but taxing air travel to pay for a bloated security bureacracy is beyond stupid. Too bad the President has too many stupid advisors feeding him BS like this.

The first thing that comes to mind: Does this speech remind anyone of Loy's "stupid rules" he said he would fix???

Now for the Beltway Reality: Chertoff is laying out a course of action he can't even remotely afford. His budget submittal will reflect what it costs to do all the things he's outlined. Congress will choke on the number. They will cut it drastically. He will declare, "OK, Tell me what you don't want me to do." He will cut one or more of the programs he outlined and blame anyone but himself that he can't deliver what he promised the American people. Chertoff's speech was perfectly timed for the budget cycle.

...This is the oldest trick in the book...

TAXES! But that is a banned word from this administration. I find it curious that the same fools that refuse to fund cargo-screening (ostensibly because of the cost) see no problem with taxing the flying public to proling and enhance the pointy-object search.

I. fo one. would have no problem with a "user fee" that helped to pay for screening the cargo that was in the belly of my plane.

I used to be for this, having the passengers pay for the security. But, it doesn't square with the other things that Chertoff has been saying. He wants to refocus on catastrophic terrorist attacks. For aviation that means something like 9/11 where people who aren't on the airplane die too. To me, that makes the costs of security something that should be shared across all who benefit.

"Let me observe that Congress intended TSA to be almost entirely supported by user fees, but it is not. The administration has proposed a modest increase, a few dollars, in user fees to fund the infrastructure necessary to do this job right. I believe travelers are willing to pay a few dollars more per trip to improve aviation security and enhance efficiency. I call on Congress and the aviation industry to work with me to find a formula that will work. By collecting user fees for aviation, we can free up precious DHS resources for other very important security priorities."

Great not I am going to get to PAY to walk across their disgustingly dirty floors while having my shoes x-raye". Did they actually talk to any travelers? I am thinking his belief is wrong that we are willing to pay a little more. I personally think we already are paying enough fees on our airline tickets. Gosh at the rate we are going the fees will outweigh the cost of fares.

How about they save some money by the meetings they state they are going to have, they are going to fly all the emergency mgmt people in for meetings with them, according to the article, wouldnt it be cheaper to fly one person to each group than the group to the one person.

No, but I do have one for the TSA:

/Begin list

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/End list

Or did I forget grandma's nail file and the AARP-inspired cell to hijack the Social Security Administration?

Actually, I think forcing airline passengers to pay the entire cost of the TSA is a great idea. I truly hope this happens. Because when we have to face the fact that we're paying $20-50 for a stranger to handle our undergarments, order us to take our shoes off, and occasionally physically assault us in a public place, that will be the beginning of the end for this dog and pony show.

Besides, slapping huge taxes onto an airplane ticket is a good way to convince people to travel by other means. Taking the train or driving whenever practicable is what all of us should have done the first day government agents started handling and mishandling our bodies at the airport.

unprovable speculation not grounded in fact.

The Prince, the Prince.......

BTW bo-, I also like FDR's "protection plan" of everyone's "liberties" with EO 9066. At least we see eye to wye on that point. Now, where is the WRA when we need them most. Thank you FDR.

Can you provide proof that the TSA has done ANYTHING to provide a safer flying experience than pre-9/11?????????

I want PROOF, not the "feel good" crap that we suffer through every day. PROOF of one hijacking thwarted. Just one.