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Major US Airport To Evict TSA Screeners

Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

The perception is that there's an overwhelming bureaucracy that is preventing the TSA from being able to effectively make common sense exceptions and from being able to punish / prevent violations of common decency with much effectiveness.
The other perception is that these private companies will be more responsive to these needs of their clients and the client's travelers.

These may or may not be true.

It isn't bureacracy, it's the law.

Privatized airport security is going to have to follow every TSA regulation or they're going to get shut down.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

I like the idea of kicking the TSA out, only if a for profit kind of TSA does not take its place.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

What does "for profit" have to do with it? Why would that be a factor?

Private, for-profit security is ubiquitous and has been around for centuries. Why does it matter in this case?
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

I also fail to see what any of this has to do with the free market. As airports are usually owned by local and state governments, the private security firms are merely being handed government contracts.

What are you scared of?
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

I like the idea of kicking the TSA out, only if a for profit kind of TSA does not take its place.

Let the Black Water do it. :lol:
 
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Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

What are you scared of?

Who said I was scared of anything? My point was that this has jack to do with socialism or the free market, or anarcho capitalism for that matter.
 
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Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

I like the idea of TSA being kicked out of airports.

That would only be good if their replacements are better than the TSA was.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

I hope airports begin to reject every single flight coming out of SFB. The TSA is a necessary nuisance that shouldn't be left up to companies who will employ the Ford model of productivity. The best part is that there are people who believe there is a single security company out there who will take the economic liability involved in a terrorist attack. Whatever they plan on replacing the FAMS with better be ready for the multimillion dollar lawsuit that'll follow if one private employee kills a passenger a-la-Zimmerman.
 
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Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

I hope airports begin to reject every single flight coming out of SFB. The TSA is a necessary nuisance that shouldn't be left up to companies who will employ the Ford model of productivity.

I don't really have a problem with state governments contracting out certain jobs in and of itself. Sometimes it makes more economic sense for the government to contract out its work rather than train and hire its own workers. But when it comes to matters of national security and defense matters I'm wary of private contractors.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

I don't really have a problem with state governments contracting out certain jobs in and of itself. Sometimes it makes more economic sense for the government to contract out its work rather than train and hire its own workers. But when it comes to matters of national security and defense matters I'm wary of private contractors.

That's my problem with it. The TSA is there because private companies don't have the interest of customers and clients in mind. They have the interest of shareholders(unless it's Apple) and board members. I trust my government to watch my ass on a plane far more than I do some private employee who is there for the pay check.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

That's my problem with it. The TSA is there because private companies don't have the interest of customers and clients in mind. They have the interest of shareholders(unless it's Apple) and board members. I trust my government to watch my ass on a plane far more than I do some private employee who is there for the pay check.

Well to be fair, the federal TSA employee is also there for the pay check in all likelihood.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

Well to be fair, the federal TSA employee is also there for the pay check in all likelihood.

Are we still talking about the FAMS? Cause as somebody who flies regularly and knows quite a few of them(one of them in my own family), I disagree. It takes a special kind of person to go into the FAMS. They don't get the glamour of the military or even the recognition cops and firefighters do but they do a job that is incredibly valuable. People in those fields make the same sacrifices cops, soldiers and firefighters make and yet it's not recognized at all. I'm not saying they're selfless people but I'd take one of them over 10 private employees who got hired with this line: "possibility of advancement".
 
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Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

Are we still talking about the FAMS? Cause as somebody who flies regularly and knows quite a few of them(one of them in my own family), I disagree.

No, I'm talking just regular TSA screeners and security personnel.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

No, I'm talking just regular TSA screeners and security personnel.

FAMS are security personnel.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

FAMS are security personnel.

I'm not referring to Marshals specifically, just the guys who run the x-ray machines and watch the monitors and swipe you with the metal detectors whatnot. Most of them IMHO are there for a check, not necessarily because they are more patriotic or dedicated to national security than the average private contractor.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

I'm not referring to Marshals specifically, just the guys who run the x-ray machines and watch the monitors and swipe you with the metal detectors whatnot. Most of them IMHO are there for a check, not necessarily because they are more patriotic or dedicated to national security than the average private contractor.

I disagree. I think most people who choose to work out there are there for far more than a check. It's a ****ty job with long hours and bitches complaining about the security. I don't care how much money you make(and I doubt x-ray machine guys make all that much money), you're there because you like the job, you live close to the airport, or you have no other real options. You're not there just "for the money".
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

Don't get too excited, people. This has just as much potential to be a boondoggle as possibly a good thing. Some of the worst "law enforcement" people are those security guard types who have an "I am sanctioned by the government, therefore I am God, and you WILL obey me!" complex.

I know some worlds will be shattered by this prospect, but private isn't always better than public. I think I'll take a 'wait-and-see' approach on this one.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

The TSA has been keen to downplay the opportunity for airports to dispense with their screener. By this technology work load is reduced
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

The TSA has been keen to downplay the opportunity for airports to dispense with their screener. By this technology work load is reduced
Of course they have. McDonald's doesn't tell you where to find the nearest Wendy's.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

Only to be replaced by a TSA for profit?



profit is only half the results, also, performance and competition. this is from prison planet though, so I'm not holding my breath. :prof
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

The allowance for airports to opt out and privatize the workforce does not in any way, shape, or form indicate a differnece in protocol or method in which screening will occur. Private Security in these situations must adhere to the same federal regulations regarding the screening of passengers. The only difference is that the hiring, managing, and personnel are all private contractors rather than federal employees. Your pat downs, body scans, shoes coming off, etc are going to be occuring whether its Random TSO or Random Security Guy that's manning the line.

I'm worried that this might not actually be the case. Constitutional protections only apply when it is the government doing these things. Granted, the entirety of airport security throws the fourth amendment out the window, but at least in cases of gross violation, there could be recourse. If a private security company is doing it instead of a government agency, they won't be as bound to protect our civil rights.

I noticed in the OP an emphasis on adding jobs to the private sector. What is ignored is that a whole lot of public workers (that is, the people already doing the job) will then be fired to make way for someone else to do exactly the same job. The same number of people will be working, doing the same thing. How stupid is it to condemn some people because they work for a government and not a company? They're just regular people trying to make their way in the world.

And socialism? Seriously? The government undertaking to do something isn't socialism. Socialism is when the people collectively own and control things. There is nothing about the TSA and not much of our government anymore that is owned or controlled by the general populace.

Whether or not the government is directly conducting the security or if they hire a private contractor to do it doesn't really make a lot of difference. We're still subjected to completely unconstitutional searches, and constantly reminded (falsely) that we should be afraid. The terrorists won.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

Whatever they plan on replacing the FAMS with better be ready for the multimillion dollar lawsuit that'll follow if one private employee kills a passenger a-la-Zimmerman.

You and I don't agree often, but I have to applaud this line of thinking. So often when people talk about TSA there's narry a mention of the FAMS and what/if anything they'd do in regards to that portion of TSA's responsabilities.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

I disagree. I think most people who choose to work out there are there for far more than a check. It's a ****ty job with long hours and bitches complaining about the security. I don't care how much money you make(and I doubt x-ray machine guys make all that much money), you're there because you like the job, you live close to the airport, or you have no other real options. You're not there just "for the money".

The VAST majority of your x-ray guys are bottom of the D Band employees, regardless if they're high school drop outs or have college degrees. After 2 yeasr they are elligable for, but don't necessarily get, a promotion to an E-Band. Anyone you see with a single bar on their shoulder straps is a D/E band TSO.

A much smaller percentage (noted by those with 2 stripes) are F-Bands. These are your "leads" and some of your specialized positions.

An even smaller percentage (noted by the 3 stripes) are your supervisorys. They're G band.

TSA bands can be found here.

So your average X-Ray guy is making about $29k after locality, with some in higher locality places making a bit more. Not horrible, not exactly great either. Mind you, the Pay Band system does not function like the GS scale. There are no automatic step increases. That's your pay unless you're given a performance bonus or you end up getting your promotion to an E band and/or manage to get selected for one of the higher up positions.

I'd agree that most of the people doing the job are doing it for a paycheck rather than a patriotic duty (though I think more do it for the latter than people think. I was surprised by the number of part time retiree's and parents w/ kids now grown that wanted to do something for the country that were willing to do the work there.) However, I doubt a lot would not jump for a better job oppertunitty for similar or more money if possible.

I'm sure there are a ton of reasons that people work there though, including some you said. Another, which as true for myself, could be wanting to move to a location and looking for a job there and/or looking to get a foot into the door with the government.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

I'm worried that this might not actually be the case.

I hadn't actually thought of this but it could be correct. While I understand that private screening forces are required to meet TSA standards on how things are done, there is nothing to my knowledge disallowing them from being MORE strict. That said, I imagine that an airport would not opt for the private option if that was the case as it'd likely have an even worse response than the TSA gets.
 
Re: TSA To Get The Boot - Free Market Beats Central Government Control

Converting TSA to a private company doesn't 'create more jobs', most of the former TSA workers will just change uniforms, why would a for profit company 'waste' all that money on training new workers? Private security companies hire former soldiers to avoid having to train their own.

The only way these jobs become private sector jobs is if the burden is placed on the airlines and not the airport. I doubt anyone likes that idea.

For the past decade I have flown at least once a month to a wide variety of locations, to include overseas. I have met TSA. People who attempt to make generalizations about people most likely have little contact with those they attempt to put into one basket. Some TSA workers are there for a paycheck, some are truly helpful, polite, and happy to assist the elderly. Some should have stayed flipping burgers, some will go far in life.

I don't see how adding another layer to the cost of airport security, the investors who expect a nice profit for providing the service, improves anything. Nor do I see how a Union hinders effectiveness in a critical gubment job, ask the Air Traffic Controllers about that one.

But Alex does the same right wing rant few facts lots of opinion attacks most demi-goads use to make their money. His many medical centers that warn against the x-ray dose in the screener stations is actually ONE man's 'research'. Nevermind most flyers get more radiation exposure from the flight than the screening, Alex isn't bashing the airlines for not protecting passengers from radiation inflight, he has an ax to grind against TSA, facts be damned!
 
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