TSA and Security
Nov 8, 2010 Political
So, have you seen all the recent reports about TSA abuses? I have noticed quite a few, from the airline pilot who refused scanning and groping to the various reports about the unchecked attitude of the TSA agents. What a horrible disaster.
Look, let’s be honest — Homeland Security and TSA are a joke. In my opinion, no one is even an ounce safer because of what they do. To me, it’s like the National Guardsmen that were posted immediately after 9/11 — with guns and no bullets. And I honestly believe that the entire department of Homeland Security could be abolished overnight and only good things would happen. After all, they appeared overnight, so why not stop spending all that money?
I am supposed to travel overseas next summer. I’m seriously considering not going simply because of the abuse I will have to suffer at the airport security check-in. I used to like traveling, but I avoid airports with a passion since 9/11 and all the crap I have to put up with since that time. I will admit, on occasion, I have met a TSA agent that has common sense — but they are very few and far between. However, the recent rules change that allows agents to visually strip search or manually grope people is stupid and useless. If I were a female, I would be quite inclined to slap anyone who groped me, no matter what badge they might have. And typically, people are more outraged when individuals simply take pictures of their children (committing a crime: see Gerritsen Beach), rather than when people with badges sexually fondle their 8-year old sons and daughters.
As it stands, if I should decide to travel next summer, I will be wearing an athletic supporter to keep the agents from grabbing me. I do wonder what will happen when it is discovered. Don’t worry, should I travel, after I’m released from jail, I’ll be sure to account how it went.
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Tags: groping, molestation, strip search, tsa
Nominee To Head TSA Is Also Ethically Challenged
Jan 3, 2010 Political
We already know that Barack Obama has had trouble finding people without some kind of ethical or tax problem to fill spots in his administration. A number of people were found to be tax cheats. Some dropped out of consideration and others were confirmed even though they committed crimes that would have had severe repercussions for the rest of us.
I was listening to the news after the failed Christmas Day bombing attempt (a terrorist on an airliner). On one of the stations a Democrat apologist was discussing the fact that there was not yet a leader in place at the TSA and this was because a Republican was holding up the nomination. The Republican was not named but whoever it is is doing a great job.
The nominee, Erroll Southers, is another one of those ethically challenged people that seem to be attracted to the Obama administration. Southers, a former FBI agent, did something bad a few decades ago and he was reprimanded for it. What did he do? He “inappropriately accessed a federal database, possibly in violation of privacy laws” in order to do a background check on his estranged wife’s new boyfriend. Southers says he was concerned for his young son. Can you imagine if you were in the same position and asked the FBI to check out your wife’s new boyfriend?
But Big Dog, this happened two decades ago and the guy was reprimanded for it. Yep and that would be no big deal for me if he were up for some job that did not involve databases full of personal information. I also wonder why those who worried about a Bush DUI, drug use or Guard attendance decades earlier are not all over this guy. I am also concerned that Southers has not been up front about the issue.
He misled Congress on the issue. He now claims that it was a mistake, an oversight (I wonder if he used Turbo Tax) and that it was inadvertent. He gave differing accounts of what happened and he was not completely honest about ALL that he did (like passing the information he obtained around to others).
This guy is troubling. He will be in charge of an agency that has tons of data at its fingertips. Suppose this guy gets ticked at an ex wife or neighbor. He won’t need to do a background check, he can get them on the no fly list. He can flag them for the extra search (you can get those by ticking off the counter agent too – trust me) or he can make their lives miserable. He has demonstrated that he would use information in an unethical manner for his own personal gain so perhaps he is not the person for this job.
Evidently the Republicans who are holding this nomination up are doing so on a matter that is unrelated but now that he has misled Congress it might be a good idea to take a much closer look at this fellow to see what other problems he might have.
In the over all scheme of things this would just be another corrupt person in the Obama administration. Hell, he would be just another face in the crowd but since he would have access to a lot of data it might be a good idea to keep him away from it.
I never thought I would see the day where we would find someone too unethical for this administration but it looks like that day has actually come.
Of course, the White House is defending him…
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Tags: corruption, ethically challenged, Obama, tsa
Funny How The Right To Know Has Changed Among The Left
Dec 31, 2009 Political
Back when George Bush was president the al-Qaeda wing of the media, The New York Times, would routinely divulge our nation’s secrets. Sometimes the paper would sit on a story for a while and when they finally released it that would claim that they had held onto it because of pressure from the White House but that the public interest was best served by releasing the info. You had such a right to know that some Democrats leaked info as well…
The information released involved methods we used to track terrorists, the fact that we intercepted their phone calls and any number of other items dealing with our security. If it was a national security secret then it was a sure bet the NYT would release it.
Recently a terrorist made his way on an airplane and tried to blow it up. The Transportation Security Administration sent out a memo about increased security and that memo was not supposed to be released to the public. Evidently, several bloggers got hold of it and published it.
Were they honored as serving the public’s interest? Were they deemed to have the best interest of the country at heart? Were they held up in liberal worship as the NYT is?
No, they were served subpoenas and told that they had to divulge who gave them the information. The government used its ham handed techniques of threatening the livelihood of the people if they did not cooperate and laptop computers were taken. While the terrorist who tried to blow up the plane has received the best medical care in the world and was read his Miranda Rights two people who broke no laws are being harassed by the government.
I can understand the TSA being a little touchy because this is the second time in a month that confidential information belonging to them has wound up on the web. They have a leak and it is up to them to find it.
I have no problem with the government trying to keep its secrets secret but the review should involve looking at the people who work for the agency. Look at the emails and see who sent it out and fire that person.
If government is this hell bent on pursuing leaks then I expect to see subpoenas hit the NYT next time there is a leak.
Of course that leak won’t be until there is a Republican in the White House…
Source:
Yahoo News
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Tags: harassment, leaked info, new york times, subpoena, tsa