A few days ago I confessed that I was getting a little tired of all the TSA criticism. We already know what we don’t like, after all: patdowns, scanners, liquid limits, shoe removals, etc. etc. Let’s move on. What would a good airport security plan look like?
Luckily for me, MoJo doesn’t just employ bloggers, it employs actual reporters who can ask people about this. So Nick Baumann talked to three airport security critics and asked them what we should do:
After speaking to them, I think Kevin is missing the point: the elimination of existing useless security procedures is the heart of the plan. It’s not about doing something “instead” of the current system—it’s
about not doing things that are wasting money and time and not making us safer. It’s quite possible that we’re already as safe as we’re going to get—and every subsequent airport security “improvement” is just reducing our freedom without improving security.
There’s more than just that. Nick also produced a list of five positive suggestions from the critics: (1) Enhance baggage security, (2) Pay more attention to airport workers, (3) Randomize enhanced screenings, (4) Make security lines less vulnerable, and (5) Replicate parts of the Israeli model. To be honest, this doesn’t sound super impressive. #1 is already in progress, #3 doesn’t sound worthwhile, #4 might be a good idea but doesn’t address airplane security, and #5 is also in progress. That leaves #2, which is also in progress but perhaps needs more attention.
Anyway, read the whole thing. To be honest, it leaves me with the impression that no one really has any big bright ideas about this. As Nick says, maybe we’re already about as safe as we’re going to get.
