They also forgot to mention you have to be finger printed like a criminal.

I'm a frequent flier, with a good bit of international travel. I stand in the regular queue with everyone else, rather than get my "party membership" card.

I've lived overseas in several countries. I know what a police state looks like.

And this is a police state, show me your papers please. Add to the fact they have approved the use of drones and predict 30000 of them in service by 2020. This is the change we all deserve, but think how safe we will all be now that they watch our every move. People tyranny is at your door but most of you are too blind stupid or foolish to see it. If I could afford it I would move out of here altogether. This is not the America my family fought to defend and protect. This is not freedom or liberty. We the people have lost our nation.

"Fingerprinted like a criminal" is not at all true. It's a 2-second 4-finger touch on a non-inked scanner pad which they use as *biometrics* to verify you are you when you walk up to a kiost and scan your passport. This instead of a TSA officer comparing you to your usual picture ID (my picture is 17 years old mind you).

Yes passport - because the biometrics only come into play when using global entry, not precheck.

I'm NOT a fan of intrusive governmental spying but the check I went through for my current JOB was more intrusive and encompasing. For once, not not being a criminal saves me some hassle and I don't mind capitalizing on that.

The application fee is $100 for *global entry*. If you don't have a criminal background and your details match up, I would expect it very likely you will pass. The application fee for PreCheck or KT is ... zero.

There was already different classes of fliers: First Class, Business, Coach plus all the levels of frequent fliers. I guess you don't lock the doors on your house or car because you assume everybody is Innocent! Who do you think decides what you have to hide? The only person that can decide what you have to hide is you. If you think you have something to hide, then don't apply. If you don't like the process, then don't use the airlines. Of course the government can't protect you, but it can go a long way in making activities safer for everybody. The government brings you the tested and licensed pilots, the safety requirements and inspections required to be made on the aircraft to name a few airline related activities that increase safety and are beyond you ability to watch out for yourself.

Agreed, what is the difference between boarding a train in 1934 Nazi Germany and boarding an airplane in 2012 USA? In the USA They make you take your shoes off and go through a highly toxic radiation machine. Otherwise, there isn't one spec of difference so it doesn't matter whether they create this elite flying group or not, the Unpatriotic Act is constitutionally illegal as well as the NDAA act and the GOP has no problem continuing their Fourth Reich New World Order mission when so many people are willing to 'fall in line' and pretend that they are STILL citizens of a democracy and that is a lie. Our democracy ended when SCOTUS appointed Fuehrer Bush as president. Check out the new Navy commercials with the 'updated' motto, 'Protecting the World Globally.' Sounds like Fourth Reich New World Order to me.

It simply means that the TSA perverts can continue to fondle people’s genitals but now they cannot linger for more than a few seconds. Quicker gropings means the lines should move faster.

Let's say that they just went back to the 50's and took all of that safety stuff away. How long would it take for someone to hijack or blow up a plane? It won't happen more than a couple times a year. Maybe it will kill less than a thousand people per year. Heck cars and booze do more than that and they are both legal, I think. I think karlst is right. We have to look out for ourselves. Just show your ticket and get on the damn plane. Your family can sit with you at the gate before you fly. If you see someone suspicious, and by that I mean anyone with dark skin or wearing funny clothes, you can have them searched by a big Irish cop who has been drinking, just a little. I also think we should bring back smoking on flights. Really, those lefty nutcase doctors who say cigarette smoke is dangerous are just trying to control us and scare us into buying more insurance than we need. We also need to get rid of the seat belts. Both in cars and in airplanes. Especially in airplanes. If that sucker goes down, do you really think that little strap across your lap is going to help? Really, it's just going to hold in your hip bones when the rest of your body breaks off, but they will be able to identify you because you wallet and your butt will still be in the seat. Don't get me started on seat belts and airbags in cars either. That super lefty Ralph Nadar Communist is in bed with the seat belt and airbag lobbyists who again try to scare us in to buying their products. I'm voting for Rush Limbaugh for President and Sean Hannity for Vice President. Both offices should be for life too, so they don't have to spend all of that wasted time on trying to get reelected. And get rid of the friggin' Congress!! Jeez! Talk about wasted time. Rush and Sean are smart enough to know what's good for all of us! They really do. Don't you watch Fox (from God) News? Listen to them. They are all-knowing.

Man, I feel better.

How long would it take for someone to hijack or blow up a plane? It won't happen more than a couple times a year. Maybe it will kill less than a thousand people per year. Heck cars and booze do more than that and they are both legal, I think. I think karlst is right. We have to look out for ourselves. Just show your ticket and get on the damn plane. Your family can sit with you at the gate before you fly.

You were mostly sane up to the quoted point. Except for the fact that there is no evidence that these screenings would actually prevent/deter attacks. There is more to security than just groping passengers, and if the intelligence would share more freely 9/11 would never have happened. You see, there were reports about an attack using airplanes on important buildings, even naming some of the hijackers who actually committed the act, yet they did not end up on a no-fly list.

We don't need to be hassled -- we need efficient communication between intelligence agencies, which we still lack.

And yes, you are far more likely to die in a car crash than to die in a terrorist attack, even if the US was stuck in a 9/11 tragedy loop where 9/11-style attacks happen every year, which they really would not.

It's silly to suggest that we should be pre-assumed to be terrorists, and have such massive spending when there is no real or conclusive evidence suggesting that this stuff is even helpful.

Terrorism existed before 2001, and terrorism will continue to exist. Despite the scare tactics that you fell for hook, line, and sinker, there is both an extremely low chance that you will die in a terrorist attack (so low, that even left-handed people are more likely to die from using right-handed power tools -- look it up) and no logical or factual reason to expect thousands of deaths from terrorist attacks if the TSA removed the scanner and "enhanced pat-downs."

You are already a casualty of terrorism -- you are afraid.

This message brought to you by someone who can't stand Fox or whichever "entertainers" you listed. Any questions?

(PS: take your medicine)

Since 2000, the odds of you dying as a result of a terrorist act aboard a commercial American airliner is 1 in 25 million. The odds of getting struck by lightning: 1 in 500,000.

Yes, you have a 50 times greater chance of being struck by lightning than dying from a terrorist attack on an airplane. Scary numbers indeed.

The real terrorist must be lightning!

Some more odds for all those scared of terrorists....

» Odds of being killed by a dog - 1 in 700,000.

» Odds of dying while in the bath tub - 1 in 1 million.

» Odds of being killed by space debris - 1 in 5 billion.

» Odds of being killed by poisoning - 1 in 86,000.

» Odds of being killed by freezing - 1 in 3 million.

» Odds of being killed by lightening - 1 in 2 million.

» Odds of being killed in a car crash - 1 in 5,000.

» Odds of being killed in a tornado - 1 in 2 million.

» Odds of being killed by falling out of bed - 1 in 2 million.

» Odds of being killed in a plane crash -1 in 25 million.

Some of us are more equal than others.

boom, Lynard

I have to assume that those stats would be different if there was no security. As to evidence whether or not they have been preventing attacks, well, since we don't know everything (unless you are privy to information the general public doesn't have) we probably never will.

I fly a lot. I dislike the screenings too. I really dislike the limits on liquids. But I DO remember the 'heyday' of hijackings when you could turn on your tv everyday and hear about another one somewhere in the world. I also remember that this stopped when screenings were implemented. Do the screenings go to far? Maybe. Better tech should help but that's not available in today's world.

As for this program, if and when it's expanded to the airports I fly into I'll participate. Just because it will make my travel easier.

Yeah, I am usually a huge proponant of individual freedoms. And I miss the days of 'document free' travel. Sadly, I'm afraid those days are gone for the foreseeable future. I don't have the answers.

dsb said:

I have to assume that those stats would be different if there was no security. As to evidence whether or not they have been preventing attacks, well, since we don't know everything (unless you are privy to information the general public doesn't have) we probably never will.

I suggest you do some research rather than assuming that there is no information, and that there never will be any. As you are well aware, there was security prior to the creation of the TSA, and most attacks were stopped. If you take a look at the reports about 9/11, you would see that there were multiple failures at many levels of government and security, and if you take a look at the "underwear bomber" you can see that these same failings persist. Information is still not shared. Additionally, if the TSA prevented any terrorist attack, it would be headline news. Indeed, if you used Google prior to posting, you would have known this and more.

But I DO remember the 'heyday' of hijackings when you could turn on your tv everyday and hear about another one somewhere in the world. I also remember that this stopped when screenings were implemented.

You're their perfect target -- if you don't hear about something, you believe it doesn't exist (and the opposite is true, if you are told there is a real and imminent threat of terrorist attack, you'll believe it). The TSA does not have a global footprint, only collaborating with internal and US-bound flights, so all of those hijackings around the world would not be affected by people in the US getting pat-downs. Hijackings around the world still occur, I suggest Google.

Do the screenings go to far? Maybe. Better tech should help but that's not available in today's world.

Take a look to Israel, whose airport security is well known to be the best in the world (no hijackings since 1972, and they are target #1 for Jihadists). I suggest this article from Slate: What's So Great About Israeli Security?

I don't have the answers.

That's because you don't seek them out.

BackCountry you hit it perfect..... Lets quit playing games and just SHUT THE TSA DOWN.....

More radical proposal: on boarding, issue everyone a knife or single shot cheap pistol. If someone tries to take over, see how far he goes with a plane full of ticked passengers! Just turn the knife/cheapo pistol in as you deplane, or pay a XX dollar user fee. Simple? Effective? Naah - that's not the TSA/government way!

Yeah!!! Because I love having hijacked planes crash down on top of me!

inmissouri -

Little trivia for you:

Number of planes hijacked since 9/11/2001? 0

Number of hijackings prevented by TSA since 9/11/2001? 0

Number of people molested by TSA? 10? 100? 1,000? Who really knows?

Amount of personal property stolen by TSA employees? Thousands of dollars worth.

Value of TSA at this point in time? Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero.

The argument of necessity is the plea for every infringement upon liberty, it is the argument of tyrants, it is the creed of slaves.
Thomas Payne of the British House of Commons

The TSA has got to go....

Good Luck with that BackwardsCountry164.

You must be on of the peeps who go on with their lives, but wait a moment, what about you flying on an UNSECURE plane? We will make them available just for you and your kind. Fun to watch no doubt. Good luck with that, as I'm sure you must have had such a life before the TSA. [What, were you about three years old when 911 happened? , or better yet a Conspiracy Theorist who believes that the Dr. EvilBush and his minions of EvilDoers concocted 911 just to start two wars. You're a moron, a sheep that follows a herd. Regurgitated diatribe!

I can see it now:

Obama tosses out the TSA, two months later an airplane crashes into a "tall building, in a BIG city"....

Oh, my Who would we blame??

Oh, yeah, same guy you guys blame for everything!

LOL!

Gotta love those conspiracy theorists on here!

Ric- so you're sure no one was discouraged from trying to hijack a plane because they knew they'd be checked?

Citizen911- so should we get rid of speed limits and blood alcohol limits? Because that really infringes onthe liberty of people that want to have a drink or two and then hurry home. Never mind that it also deters people who want to drink lethal amounts and go 100mph the wrong way on the highway.

inmissouri - yes, I'm sure. How do I come to that conclusion? There have been zero hijackings worldwide since 9/11/2001.

The TSA is only screwing our liberties.

It's really a sad state of affairs when Citizens of a country with a Constitution that is supposed to guarantee liberties and freedoms that we need to accept molestation and theft of property as a condition of free travel within our national, sovereign borders.

@Govt. worker

ROTFLMAO!! You are calling me a sheep?!? YOU!?! Sorry dude but you're the sheep blindly following along behind your masters. The worst part is that you know it's true and that your position is garbage. If it wasn't you wouldn't have to assume I'm a fruitcake in order to defend your stance. And apparently YOU were the 3 year old on 9/11 (assuming you aren't 3 years old now which is certainly in question) because you don't seem to recall there was airport security BEFORE the TSA. I didn't say NO security I said ditch the TSA and go back to what we had. Let the scared sheeple (you) pay the extra cost to have their false sense of security. I know it's just a bunch of BS, why should I pay for or put up with BS just so puppets can feel "safe"?

There is ZERO threat of terrorists crashing commercial planes into buildings for two reasons. First the cockpits have been secured and the pilots instructed on what to do if there is a threat in the plane. Second, the ONLY reason they were able to hit those buildings is because no one on board knew what was about to happen. As soon as the people on flight 93 realized what was going on they took action. If they had know what the terrorists had intended to do from the start they'd had never even made it into the cockpit.

And finally I've got to ask, why do you freak out about the thought of getting rid of the inept TSA? Just exactly which agency do you work for "govt worker"?

People have tried that - they have been asked to put their clothes back on so they can be patted down.

Agreed. I stopped flying after a single TSA 'pat down' while I watched them pull young, buxom women from the crowd and put them through the new 'scanner.' You couldn't help but notice when about 5 of these TSA perverts would crowd into a little room to 'check out' the latest crop of women they 'visually' gang banged. I did not have my children with me, thank god. As a parent, I will not allow a TSA 'uniformed' person to grope my children when I've told them for years that strangers ARE NOT allowed to touch them. I'll be damned if I'm going to raise them as 'GOP Youth' where they are now taught that a'uniformed' person has the right to search them, that they are guilty until proven innocent and they no longer are protected under the First and Fourth Amendments and they no longer are protected by the Bill of Rights. Nor will I send them through a device that generates 400 times the radiation that a dental x-ray generates and they don't even provide a lead apron. It's ok to choose to bend over if you are the only person bending over. It is not OK to raise a whole generation of children without the protection of the SAME Constitution that you were raised under. Are we of the same mentality as Hitler's Germany? Will you raise your children as Hitler's Youth in 2012 USA so you can feel safer? If so, you need to take that attitude along with everyone that 'feel's safer with this extremely ludicrous and expensive security and move to Dumb*uckistan where you belong. 'At what price, liberty?' Of course, none of this is an issue when you fly into and out of the 1%'rs EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, no TSA there.

That' right! TSA is a career and careers expand over a lifetime. Abolish DHLS and let's get on with the business of being a true democracy and move away from this 1%'r pluocracy that the GOP have created in the last 10 years. They have firmly established that they prefer to buy bullets to shoot citizens with then bread to feed the citizens. Pluocracy and it's your tax dollars that pay for it. Example, Apple received a 700 MILLION tax refund in 2010. That is more money then they spent to run their little cult operation in the Silicon Valley. The refund came from the Middle Class tax dollars. GE did the same thing, Microsoft, they all do it. Can we really afford to support the Operating Costs of these 1% corporations and pay for the military, DHLS, NSA, FBI, CIA? The list goes on and on. The answer is no, we can't afford to support these 1%'r corporations and their ALEC created laws that benefit nobody but themselves and their paid politicians. They contribute nothing but always have their hand out when some politician has decided to spend no bid contract dollars on some 'safety' BS that eats away at our constitution like a constantly evolving virus with no cure. A vote for the GOP is a vote for the treasonous Four Horseman in order of power, Cheney, Rove, Rumsfield and Bush. Oh, and one Horsewoman, Rice. Once they go on trial for crimes against humanity, then I might feel like I'm living in a democracy. Until then, the entire world see the USA as something other then a democracy, a split between fascism and pluocracy..... A fasciocracy, where all the 1%'rs live 'openly' with their paid politicians and paid religious fanatics, a regular Dumb*uckistan, where the poor support the infrastructure, the government and the arm of authority and the rich support themselves. Whoops, sounds like 2012 USA.

Insert commercial jingle here: The TSA was brought to you in part by the GW Bush Administration.

we'll never go back to profiling because we learned that any type of person can be a terrorist. someone from every background imaginable (except the amish i think) have committed acts of terror.

It doesn't matter if you have nothing to hide... it is a violation of the 4th Amendment. Plain and simple... I did not spend two tours in Iraq... just to see our liberties at home get thrown into the round file(Trash). So, before quoting that line again... why don't you grab a weapon and head off to the middle east to defend your right to have your civil liberties stomped on... ps- you're an idiot if you believe all that you said!

John we ALL have something to hide, including you. It's called right to privacy and I should not have to give a background check to fly. Not a big deal to you is a major deal to someone else. I value my privacy. Instead of just going along with it, why don't you fight for a simplier way of travel to not have go through that at all.

you're already getting checked when you buy a ticket. they process your name, address, and birthdate every time. this is different because it isn't mandatory. you have the option to sign up and give them your information in exchange for the prescribed benefits. the 4th amendment isn't being violated unless full background checks and fingerprint scans are mandated for all travelers.

OK let me get this straight, The Federal government wants to sue Arizona for profiling potential illegal border jumpers, but it is ok if they profile the entire American public! Seems about right for the obamy administration! I bet Michelle is really proud of her country now!

@CopontheBeat: When was the last time you went to any airport? there is a special line for serving Men & Women no not in priority boarding a complete separate line which reserved for Airport Employees, Airport Workers and Service men and Women. So please do not make things up as you go. Please visit an Airport and Travel some.

I love the Global Entry Program, and Happy to see the regular passangers being recognized and treated well.

Bl

Even better, because though I wouldn't qualify for the program, getting five business travelers in front of me throught the line quicker speeds it up for me as well.

That is because you apparently are not a paranoid, angry, rightwing nutjob. I am amazed at how absurd the public discourse on most topics has become in America today.