The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a new set of airline safety regulations, now allowing passengers to once again carry scissors and certain tools as carry-on baggage. The rationale is that it is necessary to focus the limited resources on explosive devices instead, and given that the cockpit doors have been reinforced, the pilots will still be able to land a plane safely even with terrorists on board.
I am not liking this. This new policy couldn't care less about the safety of flight attendants and passengers. This certainly favors pilots (high-paid and usually Republican men) over flight attendants (low-paid and usually Democratic women). Moreover, the "limited resources" at the TSA would be less of a problem if the agency were properly staffed and funded; even in these days of heightened security, TSA has seen staff and funding cuts.
W's idea of protecting America from terrorism is making up a phony war in Iraq and squandering the nation's resources there, and giving the ultra-rich a tax cut even when the war eats up more of the nation's treasury than ever. The result is weakened security, as the police, the firefighters, and now TSA screeners are forced to make compromises. W responds with the likes of the Patriot Act, which do nothing to make America safer, but do everything to make it less free.
Osama bin Laden is laughing all the way to the bank.
TSA Press Release
