Maggie's Farm

Seconding BD's view, but to tell the truth, this whole idea was a Bush Administration DHS concept - the Obama administration just followed through.

To me, the larger issue is where do we stop. I posited this yesterday I believe that we would be seeing these scanners almost everywhere eventually. Turns out that may actually be true because the TSA is planning on putting them in subways, ports, bus terminals, etc.

My view is that the TSA (and DHS under Napolitano) is a slowly growing cancer on democracy and they are directly attacking the 4th Amendment on grounds of national security and transportation "safety". The whole view that "well, these enhanced pat downs are used by cops and jail deputy's" is stupid and silly. We're talking about criminals and law breakers comparing them directly with law abiding (in most cases) citizens who are just trying to get from one place to another.

I don't know what the answer is frankly. I don't like the scanners and I don't like the "enhanced" pat downs either. I don't like the whole concept of your guilty until proven innocent. Metal detectors and wands are a whole different set of circumstances and are not intrusive - to compare them as being relatively the same as these scanners and the enhanced pat downs is bogus yet the administration is trying to present it that way.

Lastly, it is becoming more and more apparent that we are being governed by a ruling class that sees themselves above the rest of the citizens they supposedly serve. I have no respect for Boenher or any of the other congress squirrels who avoid having to be screened in the same fashion as you or me because they are VIPs.

What I do know is that I won't be taking any long trips any time soon. And if I do, it will be by car. And if I can't get there by car, I ain't going.