Airline passengers see tighter security

[cavanami]

I feel safer...NOT!!! What's this bag of wind going to do, add more names to some bullshit list??? Let him fly commercial airlines, get scanned and patted down and line up waiting for hours!!! Let all the politicians and their family be subjected to this nonsense...

 

Obama to meet security team as watch lists grow

 

The government has added dozens of people to the ominous lists of suspected terrorists and those barred from U.S.-bound flights, a crackdown that comes as President Barack Obama prepares to personally question and challenge his team about the state of national security.

 

At the White House on Tuesday, Obama planned to meet with the high-ranking officials charged with the two reviews he ordered after the botched Christmas airliner attack over Detroit  one on air-travel screening procedures and another on the nation's terror watchlist system...

[TroyinEwa/Perv]

Let all the politicians and their family be subjected to this nonsense..

 

In one of the small towns I used to work in, the Congressman for the district lived and flew out of. He and his family obviously did indeed go through the same procedures everyone else did. This guy may be an exception but was actually a pretty nice guy. He had his platinum card which entitled him to free upgrades but would refuse them and asked to be downgraded back to coach 99% of the time. There are laws, I know, about receiving gifts but this is not a gift, it's an earned benefit by flying.

[Steve]

I hate the 'politicizing' of national security. My uncle, a Korean war vet, who was obviously around during WW2, said that both parties worked together and although there were some sniping, the war effort was deemed 'off limits' for personal politcal gain for the most part. There were and I would assume always be exceptions in times like that.

 

We seemed to have come together for brief moment right after 911.

 

That evaporated rather quickly.

 

Right now we are making decisions based on the political ramifications rather than rational decision making. I blame both parties. I blame the Republicans for making a political issue out it to gain seats and I blame the Dems for succumbing to it and not having the backbone to make the tough decisions and make changes based on logic and rational. Explain the reasons for it. Obama is a good enough communicator where he can explain to the people. Time to show some stones when it comes to national security.

[Old Hippie]

Steve my man, you speak of times passed (or is it past?) A time when AMERICA/COUNTRY mattered above all else. Men used to have balls, they were men, and women well, they knew their place as well. Somewhere around 1970, the country really started going to hell, and has gotten worse with each passing minute, everyone out for themselves. I blame the feminist movement myself.

 

Think back...there was a time when this country REALLY stood for something. all countries did really, nothing special here, states side, but then along came a whole new way of thinking, based on "ME."

 

"ME" ment it wasn't about the cause of what was right, but about self and nothing else. The feminists really were promoting that the idea that it was about nothing other than "me" and "my choice." What maybe started out as a choice quickly became a necessity, largely based on greed and consumerism. All of which helped us, as a nation/world, lose sight of "the plot."

 

Now, take all this to the present, where we are no longer a nation or group of nations, but a "world economy etc..." and see where we are. We are where? in the fuckin' toilet that is where. NOT just the USA, but the entire fuckin world...and why? because of greed...and "Me" No not me Old Hippie, but "me" the individual, the person who somehow thinks that his/her shit just doesn't stink, and that some how I am more important than the guy next to me...never used to be like that...seems the norm now...wow, sorry bit of a rant there...what were we on about...? oh yeah, national security, I am all for it. As for this current crap, it won't make a damned bit of difference.

[Flashermac]

Bring back conscription. Put the draft boards in action and see how fast these wars are ended. Women want to be equal? Fine ... draft 'em too.

 

And no fancy "no go" units for politicians' kids to join. FDR's kids served in WWII. One of them commanded a Marine raider battalion. Teddy Roosevelt's son was killed in aerial combat in WWI. Nowadays only a small minority of Congressmen have worn a uniform, not to mention our fearless leaders at the top.

 

Time for real change ...

 

 

[Old Hippie]

Flash, there is probably something good to some sort of national service, be it military or otherwise. If nothing else, it might teach these punks about something other than themselves and show them a few things.

 

As for the security measures, they won't work. Sooner or later, the terrorists will use military weapons to take down aircraft, and then what?

 

The key here is in doing what must be done, and that is holding "those people from these countries" to a higher degree of scrutiny. If they don't like it, they have choices. 1) don't come here 2) get pissed and join the terrorists (in which case we didn't want them here anyway) and 3) go home and fix the problems. There is no need to hold me as a potential sex tourist to a higher degree of scrutiny than you would a guy from a hostile nation. But of course that is what they have been doing.

 

Also, the conspiratist in me whants to see the bigger picture...first the airlines reduced the weight of checked bags, then the number of bags and now carry ons...all of which means more money for them if you want to bring anything with you on a trip... talk about the bastards seizing an opportunity...

[Flashermac]

My dad used to say that military service turned a lot of kids' lives around. A typical school drop out or ghetto kid would learn discipline for the first time. He would also discover that he was a lot more capable than he thought he was, becoming a mechanic, heavy equipment operator or whatever. That doesn't happen any more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Old Hippie]

My dad used to say that military service turned a lot of kids' lives around. A typical school drop out or ghetto kid would learn discipline for the first time. He would also discover that he was a lot more capable than he thought he was, becoming a mechanic, heavy equipment operator or whatever. That doesn't happen any more.

 

 

That was pretty much me. Now, not sure what it is with these kids today...

[cavanami]

Just had two distant relatives go in to the Marines, as this was the only branch of service that they could get in to! The services are very selective! Not easy to get in to the Navy, for example, as with the high unemployment, the services can be picky.

[Old Hippie]

Last I read, the army was hurting for people and lowered the standards, as did most of the services.