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Comment by seiji | Hacker News Reader

What is the answer though? Can you imagine a politician running under a "massively downsize the TSA" banner? Would any existing Washington elected official take up the cause?

They can't even repeal the comically silly shoe removal procedure (unless you're under 12 or over 75, because no terr'ist would ever foot kerplode those demographic stereotypes).

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Well, you could imagine a politician taking up the cause if the Republican party returned to its small government ideals, rather than "Small government, except when it meets our special interests (which most definitely include defense and scaremongering)"

Obama won't do it, because he's shown himself to keep whatever things from Bush are convenient if unsavory, like Guantanamo (saying you're going to close it and actually closing it are two different things).

I'm not going to argue with your main point, but I think that closing Guantanamo has proven to be more difficult than merely inconvenient.

Yes, a senator is doing that actually. In fact he wants to abolish it, not just downsize it. If you care about this, support him:

http://rt.com/usa/news/senator-rand-paul-tsa-536/

Not a politician but still a courageous voice :

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405270230381540457733...

This is my questions as well, I think the TSA at this point is far more trouble than the massive budget the government is wasting on them. I've read countless articles and watched countless videos complaining about the TSA, pointing out their flaws. But I've yet to see a reasonable plan to cut their budget. And even if someone was able to lower their budget, what happens if something does happen then. I'd love to see any plans, but just cutting the TSA budget entirely has obvious ill effects, it's definitely not as easy as saying, "The TSA is useless, get rid of them."

No, actually the TSA is completely useless. Ask actual security experts like Bruce Schneider.

Privatise the TSA and have each airport pay for their own security. It will disappear like fog before the sun.

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