One of our esteemed members of Congress has once again opened his mouth and revealed how out of touch he is with not only his constituents, but reality in general. He's also only too happy to spend more of their -- and our -- money on the TSA, believing that the $8 billion a year we already pay to be bullied, harassed, robbed, and assaulted isn't enough.
Senator John D. Rockefeller, Democrat of West Virginia, apparently unmoved by yet another GAO report on the fraud, waste, and incompetence of the TSA, had this to say:
"The looming question now is whether Congress is ready to give up its stubborn hold on resources the TSA needs to meet its mission."
That's right. The employees of the TSA, poor darlings, don't have enough "resources." Hey, it takes a lot of skill and a lot of money to confiscate cupcakes, strip-search elderly women, harass disabled people, assault and grope children, humiliate breastfeeding mothers and cancer survivors, rob passengers, and in general make travelers' lives a living hell.
I don't have enough words to say what I wish would happen to John Rockefeller and every other worthless wanker in Congress who defends this indefensible agency, except to repeat what I've said a thousand times before: I dearly, dearly hope that every one of them and their family members are abused at a checkpoint. Because then and only then will they get it through their thick skulls what's going on in this country. And only then will things change.
I have several bottles of champagne at the ready. Sooner or later, it will happen. It's already happened to Francisco Canseco, Claire McCaskill, Rand Paul, Jason Chaffetz, Chaffetz's 15-year-old daughter, and Ralph Hall's 17-year-old niece. But that's not enough. It has to happen to more and more and more of them.
I'll let a commenter at the linked Rockefeller article have the last word. She goes by Daisiemae:
So $8 billion a year isn't enough? For God's sake, give them a few billion more and maybe these bungling buffoons will suddenly become proficient, effective, and competent.With a few billion more, maybe TSA could put some more useless equipment into storage. With a few billion more, maybe TSA could buy even more useless equipment to replace the equipment now in storage. With a few billion more, maybe TSA could hire employees who understand that the equipment must be plugged in to work. Or maybe with a few billion more TSA could shoot for the brass ring and hire employees who understand the difference between a cupcake and a bomb. And maybe, just maybe, with a few billion more, TSA could perform effective background checks on its employees rather than turning criminals loose to prey upon innocent Americans.With a few billion more, TSA could expand its Behavioral Detection Program which has been proven worthless by the GAO and numerous scientists. With a few billion more, perhaps TSA could provide its BDOs with quarters. The GAO has determined that flipping a coin is more effective than studying "micro expressions" so perhaps quarters should be the next purchase made by TSA. And with TSA's track record, we all know it would take billions of dollars to buy quarters, right?After all, isn't that the primary purpose of TSA? To provide a cash cow for politicians and their connected corporate buddies while pacifying the populace to make them think they are "safe?" Michael Chertoff was the chief bloodsucker on this cash cow when he made millions off the sale of the nude body scanners. Way to go, Michael! So many politicians and their cronies want to follow your example.But at least Chertoff was keeping us safe while he was building his portfolio at our expense, right? Wrong! The nude body scanners he was selling could allow a person to "overcome the body scanners with enough explosives to bring down a Boeing 747" according to Rafi Sela, former Chief of Security at the Israel Airport. The scanners have been proven ineffective by German researchers who blew up explosives they had managed to sneak past the body scanners and by Jonathan Corbett who sneaked metallic objects past two body scanners. But hey! With a few billion more, TSA could purchase even more of these expensive and ineffective machines. Anything for safety, right? Even when it doesn't actually provide any safety.Yes, by all means, Congress must "give up its stubborn hold on resources the TSA needs to meet its mission." The mission must be met. All of the leeches feeding on the cash cow must have their fill.
God bless you, Daisiemae.
