Some people say the first mistake was to create the Transportation Security Administration — it doesn’t really stop terrorism, makes flying an even more unpleasant experience, and created a bureaucracy that will live on far past the initial threat.
Not sure I’d agree with all of that. But I will say that we made a fundamental mistake allowing the TSA to unionize. That makes about as much sense as unionizing the military.
For example, we now come to find out that the TSA is keeping a mini "watch list" of its own. It’s not a watch list of potential terrorists. It’s a watch list of peeved travelers who since 2007 have scared TSA workers by showing anger such as punching walls or kicking equipment. It makes their workplace uncomfortable, don’t you know.
And how many pushy travelers are on this list that started in 2007, which includes names, Social Security numbers, home addresses, etc.? Well, TSA says their database has records from about 240 incidents. About 30 incidents involve passengers or airport workers threatening screeners. The remaining 210 incidents involve screeners in conflict with other screeners.
Screeners threatening other screeners? If you think I’m making this up, then click here for the rest of this sad story.
I’d like to think that someone in government would have enough sense to put an end to this kind of crazy. But it won’t happen on this administration’s watch. This is a gang that can’t even call the current threat for what it is — radical Islamic terrorism. I doubt they’d have the backbone to put a stop to a TSA shop steward collecting names of irritated travelers.
