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State Legislatures Attempt To Limit TSA Searches
OverTheGeicoE writes "Here's a familiar story: a breast cancer survivor's mastectomy scars showed up on a TSA scan, which forced a horrifying pat-down ('feel-up' in her words) of the affected area. The woman decided that she would not subject herself to that again, and was barred from a later flight from Seattle to Juneau for that reason. But now the story takes an interesting turn: the woman is Alaska State Rep. Sharon Cissna, and once she finally made it back to Alaska she started sponsoring legislation to restrict TSA searches. Her many bills, if passed, would criminalize both pat-downs and 'naked scanning,' as well as require better health warnings for X-ray scanners and even studies of airport screenings' physical and psychological effects. Other states, including Utah and Texas, are considering similar legislation. For example, Texas State Rep. David Simpson is preparing to reintroduce his Traveler Dignity Act again in 2013 if he is re-elected. The last time that bill was being considered the Federal government threatened to turn all of Texas into a 'no-fly zone'."
You might actually be wrong, there are limited cases where the states can manage this. Now with something like medical weed you have an outright conflict. There are cases where states are allowed to do more, for example in Oregon their definition of free speech is much wider and more inclusive than the federal definition.
The TSA may very well decide to comply with local laws in those States, it's simply not worth the fight. At any rate, some sort of balance must be struck in this case, because I'm beginning to think people like the IRS more than the TSA.
Because Texas has two very important hubs, DFW and IAH. Plus a very large number of southwest flights pass through Texas. When DFW/IAH gets shutdown the ripples will be national, good luck finding a flight anywhere. The texas leg should totally call their bluff, lets see what happens when united can't fly through IAH, and American can't fly through DFW. Plus chopping the middle out of southwest won't be pretty either.
Loosing the 2,3 and 4th largest airlines in the US will be a bigger problem for TSA, than any terrorist attack.
Obama has not been friendly to the states on MMJ because he realizes that if he lets a state opt-out of one federal law, that opens the door for all of them. This would result in the healthcare bill being taken apart by red states.
That will not happen again - there's simply no chance of it unless there's a serious flaw in the plane's avionics that allow a remote takeover. Between armored cockpits and passenger awareness (a successful hijacking is assumed to mean death and destruction rather than an unplanned vacation in the tropics), the worst that could happen is someone sneaking a bomb on the plane and detonating it. While by no means good, it has limited impact and the same thing could be achieved in any number of ways much more easily. And let's face it - anyone could do far more human damage much more easily by acting as a suicide bomber in a security line (you know, before the checkpoint). We don't need the TSA to do that.
Condolences for your loss, but this works out to a numbers game. There are ten times the number of driving-related deaths PER YEAR than the number of people killed in domestic terror attacks*, and you can be damn sure that drunk driving could be nearly eliminated with TSA's budget. Hell, use the money to sponsor free cab rides.
In fact, the main reason I hate the IRS is because my tax dollars are going to fund operations like the TSA. I have no problem with paying taxes, provided they're used responsibly and productively. That's simply not the case here.
* Ignoring the war on terror - those deaths, while also unfortunate, are the result of an overzealous and incompetent government
How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
I was wrong, and you win. Back then I was right-wing. Shoot, I was a pacifist until 9/11, and yet on that day I was crying for blood. You were right. I said horrible things about you guys, and I was wrong to do that, and for that I apologize. Worse, I am guilty of calling for actions that led to the death of many innocents, as well as the accumulation of power to people who are now abusing it.
I appreciate the fact that you were speaking for truth back then, and I hope that you continue to do so for many years to come.
Secession is the right of all sentient beings.