I was expressing my opinion that the current shoe fetish does nothing for security and is a huge hassle. It was his way of giving me the brush off, while towing the line; that some how since we are at threat level orange it makes sense to x-ray all shoes...but once we are safely back at yellow they will let us keep our shoes on again (even though we all know that's a bunch of BS)

Agreed. I don't see things changing until maybe, possibly one or more of the following happens:

1. Ma & Pa Kettle realize the TSA's nonsensical requirements aren't doing anything to ensure Billy comes home safely from his third tour in Iraq

2. Airline ridership falls forcing another round of BK.

3. There's the emergence of clear and incontrovertable evidence of illegal contracting

4. Some pax dies as a result of TSA screening/detention procedures

5. There is a terrorist incident which exploits TSA incompetence/malfeasance

Until then, there's no bureaucratic upside for taking on the risk of being perceived as the one who "made it possible" for some sort of incident to take place. And, unfortunately, no political downside for piling on additional layers of non-sensical, but visibly dramatic inanity.