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TSA Airport Screenings Now Start Before You Arrive At the Airport
Bob the Super Hamste writes "The New York Times is reporting that the TSA is now doing background investigations on passengers before they arrive at the airport. The publicly stated reason for this is that it is to streamline the security procedures at airports allowing more passengers to receive less scrutiny while at the air port but this new authority allows the TSA additional information about each traveler. The prescreening that is being performed for domestic travel now uses a simiar standard to that of foreign individuals who where entering the US. The new measures go beyond what is used in the Secure Flight program and while light on details mentions that the passengers passport number will be used. The article does however point out the data sources that are available to the TSA to conduct these pre-screening with such as tax identification number, past travel itineraries, property records, physical characteristics, and law enforcement or intelligence information. Also mentioned is that individuals who do not have a passport will not be subjected to the rules and from my reading will not be eligible for lesser screening at that airport. The stated goal of this program is to have 25% of all airline passengers in the US receive lighter screening at the airport so that they don't have to take their shoes off, remove jackets, or remove laptops from bags. Additionally passengers who are in higher risk categories can receive additional screenings. Also mentioned is that all passengers are currently prescreened and that airlines are required to share your passport data with the TSA if they have it." One thing I've noticed as a passenger is that the most dangerous-feeling aspect of flying right now seems to be the winding security line itself.
I practically died with joy the first time I got to use a pre-check lane. Kept my coat, shoes, and belt on, didn't take shit out of my bags. It almost justified the 8 hours it took me to get a global entry card (drive to boston, wait, talk to beurocrats about how I'm not a threat, drive back to vermont).
-73, de n1ywb
www.n1ywb.com
See, they aren't even attempting to cloak this under a new threat of some kind. Now they are just trying to pretend it makes things more efficient. It won't. They will still scan you and your belongings. You will still not be able to save a few bucks by bringing your own drinks on board or even within the airport. You will still have to spend extra money on "travel-sized" things in order to comply with their nonsense.
This might be news on domestic flights but a few years back, arriving in LA from Australia, I was actually directly offered to step out of the international queue (I'm Canadian, but was with my Australian partner) to go into the US queue _without identifying myself_, that is I was directly solicited without volunteering any information about my nationality first.
Sure, they could have overheard my accent. But, on several other occasions I and my Australian partner arrived at the same time, with the same itineraries and the same bookings, and she always got SSSS and I didn't. I don't think I just got a pass for being Canadian. There has to have been more to it than that.
We know that the NSA launders information to the DEA and FBI. Looks like we can add the TSA to that list!
Do you even lift?
These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.
One thing I've noticed as a passenger is that the most dangerous-feeling aspect of flying right now seems to be the winding security line itself.
You've obviously never ridden on a CRJ.
Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
Comment removed based on user account deletion
We sure pay a heavy price for our politicians' love of meddling in the Middle East.
Serious question here: as a civilian electronics engineer working for the DoD, I had to go through a rigorous background check, interview process, and polygraph to obtain my current clearance level and job. This costs an extraordinary amount of money (likely over $10K), why the hell do I have to pay and go through yet another background check and interview process for pre-check?
One would think that we'd be in the business of trying to save some time and money these days....
Soon passports will be required for domestic travel...
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
Outside view on US customs. This is an article from a Dutch writer who was treated quite shabbily at the US borders:
http://dasmag.nl/why-i-will-never-return-to-the-usa/
"One thing I've noticed as a passenger is that the most dangerous-feeling aspect of flying right now seems to be the winding security line itself."
Really? I despise the TSA and the burdensome screening process as much as the next person, and this is far from sympathising, but you honestly mean to say you felt endangered by the screening process? Of all the legitimate dangers you face in your daily life, and you're going to try to convince people that walking through a winding line and submitting to largely no-contact screening makes you fearful? And then you expect people to take you just as seriously after that?
Long signatures suck.
I'm planning on ex-pat'ing to Korea. Hopefully I'll have enough money to do it sooner rather than later.
But yes, I'm ready to leave the country of my birth as it's evolved into someplace not so nice to live.
I feel like a modern day slave, left just enough of my pay to survive.
I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
The science and the math behind the tools of control are not classified. There is no classified physics, chemistry, and math. You and I can access them and learn. The components and sensors and knowledge required to build resistance measures are open source. You and I can see them, understand them, and employ them. In Today's--though perhaps not in "Tomorrow's"--America, you can still acquire the tools you need to resist and defeat Tyranny.
Take stock. Search your own heart. Can you live in a world where you are not free? Most of you will choose controlled comfort. You will cede control over your very existence to some remote, faceless drone within a bureaucracy, be it government- or corporate-controlled. Still there are a few who would rather die, no matter how much they have to lose, than acquiesce to petty, stupid tyrants.
I have a wife and kids. I love them dearly. I want to live a long life with them. But if I could trade my life for their freedom, I would do so in an instant. Those of you who are like me, assess and consider. We have been in a bubble of denial, but now that time is over. We all must choose whether to stand and be counted, or to kneel and submit. Choose the former and you're an American, choose the latter and you're a slave.
Decide.
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
It's actually easier than racial profiling anyone. Simply require the agencies of Law and Order to do their jobs and to track people who actually _are_ terrorists.
Short of that, does anyone really feel safer for all this "security state" oversight? Come on! Oh paranoid and fearful do you need to be to "buy into" this BS? Apparently quite fearful and paranoid, from the looks of things.
I don't mind having my jacket/coat X-rayed.
I don't mind having my laptop X-rayed seperatly.
I can live with my shoes being x-rayed.
But what pisses me of is that I have to do all of this without proper infrastructure at the checkpoint. Those lines are still designed for people walking through the scanner in paralell to one item going through X-ray. Pick up your carry on after the scanner and walk on. But now this design gets clogged up by people like me who are unfortunately born with only two arms and hands and therefor CANT'T pick up their stuff as it comes out of the X-ray item by item. That's what bags were invented for!
I apologize to all people who had to wait behind me because I had to repack my bag, re-tie my shoes and wear my belt again. I'm sorry, but I can't remove that stuff all at once.
bickerdyke
"If elected I promise to introduce legislation to disband the TSA, NSA and DEA. If it fails I will introduce it again. I will introduce it and introduce it until it passes or my term ends."
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
Have gnu, will travel.
Can someone tell me why the TSA would need to check Tax Identification numbers in order for someone to get on a plane?
For an individual, your "Tax Identification Number" is your Social Security Number. For a US citizen or resident, it's your GUID, the key by which everything is indexed, tax-related or otherwise.
I am not a crackpot.
Has the most depressing, "Good German" comments section I have read by sheeple in a long time...
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
Maybe they should use logic instead. Bulletproof and lock the cabin door so nobody is getting in under any circumstances. Increase bomb and explosive detection technology. Leave it at that. Then how suspicious or dangerous a passenger is has no relevance because they're not hijacking the plane and they're not blowing it up.
Don't forget the fun part - despite being exactly that, it's used all over the place as some sort of password or secret identifier.
That you can't change, and that everyone already fucking knows.
For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
Unfortunately that's a load of crap. From what I have seen, they are trying to privatize the TSA. They believe it is unconstitutional for the government to do these screening but A-OK if its a private corp.
So while they spin this as "you'll get through screening quicker" what they really want is background checks on nearly everyone that travels by plane. Fucking seriously let's save all that tax money and the tax money being wasted now, and just racially profile. What's the fucking problem?
On the other side of that, I have not flown commercially since before 9/11 and don't plan on it anytime soon.
Flying is no more dangerous now than it was before 9/11/01. In fact, it's probably less dangerous because passengers will not tolerate a hijacker nowadays. The security measures in place now would not have prevented the 9/11 hijackers from boarding the planes. That same attack would succeed today (at least the getting-on-the-planes part).
So what are we doing here? Security is no more effective than it was, but the government is keeping much tighter tabs on everyone. I used to get called a tinfoil-hatter when I suggested there is another agenda at play. That doesn't happen as much anymore.
"What the American public doesn't know is what makes them the American public." -Ray Zalinsky (Tommy Boy)
"One thing I've noticed as a passenger is that the most dangerous-feeling aspect of flying right now seems to be the winding security line itself."
Exactly this. You wouldn't need to worry about getting past security, or even having a plane ticket, to cause all kinds of panic & pandemonium with a b*mb. At times there are hundreds of people standing in those lines in the larger airports...
The security line is an easy target. It would be trivial to successfully attack one. And yet it doesn't happen. It almost makes one think that terrorism isn't much of a threat.
"What the American public doesn't know is what makes them the American public." -Ray Zalinsky (Tommy Boy)
The thing is that before 9/11 the identities and whereabouts of most of the hijackers were already known to US intelligence. This type of screening would not have been necessary because the CIA and DIA knew these people were terrorists and knew they were in the country. Two of them lived with an FBI informant for crying out loud. So the intelligence agencies already had the power and capabilities they needed to identify terrorists even before they got these new powers. It's a power grab.
"What the American public doesn't know is what makes them the American public." -Ray Zalinsky (Tommy Boy)
It used to be that every time news like this came out I would think that things couldn't get much worse, but recently I have come to the conclusion that things can and will continue to get a lot worse. I now wonder just how much worse will it get? What's going to be next and when will the madness stop?
How many votes did they have for defunding it? 0
Compared to the 397 times they tried defunding the Affordable Care act.
The Tea Party has no interest in preserving freedom.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
the crap is between your ears. Rand and co. just say the airlines themselves have a vested interest in their planes being safe so let them handle security arrangements. makes sense to me, what with the TSA being mostly useless dullards
Funny thing is you never have to actually power on the electronics you carry, Just lock them with a password of encrypt them and by law the TSA can't ask you to give them entry.
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131019/02322924936/accidentally-revealed-document-shows-tsa-doesnt-think-terrorists-are-plotting-to-attack-airplanes.shtml
PHEM - party like it's 1997-2003!
The Tea Party does not control any branches of Congress. They can't "have votes". Every single Republican is united in voting against Obamacare, including the fraction of Republicans that are Tea Party people. The Republicans can "have votes" on Obamacare because they all agree.
How many times did the Libertarian Party have votes against the TSA? None? I guess the Libertarian Party doesn't care about freedom either. Right?
No one in Congress does that for anything. Short filibusters happen for some issues sometimes.
It's not their number one issue. It does not follow that they don't care about it at all. Have you tried contacting a Tea Party congressman or some other Tea Party people to advance the issue? Try.
I'll forego my modpoints for this thread. The thing that bothers me about this idea is that you're asking the same people who maintain a secret no-appeal "no fly" list to pretty-please give you permission to have a decent travel experience. They have demonstrated they have little interest in being fair about these things, and I think it sets a dangerous precedent in the sense that it establishes second-class citizens. That sounds like a direct conflict with "All men are created equal" to me.
And furthermore, why should I ask permission to travel? Look, just because there's a workaround for edge cases doesn't mean the premise of controlling my right to travel is valid. The right to travel is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We may not fully respect that document any more than our own Constitution in the US, but it's about as close to consensus as we're likely to get and there's not much excuse to ignore that as far as I'm concerned.
And that's not even considering the potential for abuse by the people we're trying to keep off of planes with all this security theater...
Goddammit just when I get my first +5 the Beta rolls out and kills everything
No Evidence of Terrorist Plots Against Aviation in US
This begs the question, then, of what evidence the government possesses to rationalize that we should be so afraid of non-metallic explosives being brought aboard flights departing from the U.S. that we must sacrifice our civil liberties. The answer: there is none. "As of mid-2011, terrorist threat groups present in the Homeland are not known to be actively plotting against civil aviation targets or airports; instead, their focus is on fundraising, recruiting, and propagandizing."
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
How is that not excessive security theater?
Did the terrorist benefit from 9/11...???? I would say nope.
9/11 was a huge PR coup for Al-Qaeda. Most Americans had never even heard of them prior to 9/11. Afterwards they were a household name. The terrorists also turned the USA into a nation that is now afraid of its own shadow and gropes toddlers at checkpoints.
The invasion of Iraq also turned many more people to Al-Qaeda's side and caused much more funding to be directed their way.
So yes, the terrorists benefited tremendously from 9/11.
There is no "Tea Party" There are Reagan Democrats who used to be Nixon Democrats who used to be Dixiecrats - who used to be the Ku Klux Klan.
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
The Libertarian Party is an organized political party. The Tea Party is not.
The Tea Party's top issues are taxes, government debt, and the size and scope of government. The Tea Party doesn't tend to talk about drug legalization and the Tea Party doesn't have an open borders immigration policy. The Libertarian Party cares less about taxes and government debt and more about drug legalization and open borders.
Both groups would like the government to go back to obeying the US Constitution -- without the "anything goes" interpretations of the commerce clause.