I don’t think it’s terribly surprising that this is something that President Trump is planning, but it’ll still be interesting to see how it ends up being executed.
In this post:
Trump’s 2027 budget plans include privatizing the TSA
The White House has today released its 2027 budget proposal. The 90+ page document contains lots of details, but from a travel perspective, here’s one that stands out the most.
In 2027, the Trump administration is looking to cut $52 million in costs by starting the process of privatizing the TSA. The idea is that TSA privatization efforts would begin by requiring small airports to enroll in the Screening Partnership Program (SPP), under which TSA pays for private screeners at designated airports.
Per the proposed budget, “the airports that already use this program have demonstrated savings compared to Federal screening operations,” and “the move would yield cost savings compared to Federal screening and begin reform of a troubled Federal agency.”
Of course the TSA has been in the headlines a lot in recent weeks, given the extent to which TSA officers have been used as political pawns, during the current partial government shutdown. Fortunately TSA officers are now starting to get paid again, because Trump suddenly decided it was legal to pay them.
This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen plans to start privatizing the TSA. Roughly a year ago, we saw two Republican Senators introduce the Abolish the TSA Act, which was even more extreme. It was supposed to “dissolve the bloated and ineffective” organization, while “allowing America’s airports to compete to provide the safest, most efficient, and least intrusive security measures, under a new Office of Aviation Security Oversight.”
It sounds like Trump is actually planning on taking more of a gradual approach with all of this, starting with small airports, and then we’ll see what happens in the long run. It’s not clear if this plan would include eventually privatizing all airport security, or if this would be primarily intended for smaller airports.
Would privatizing airport security be good or bad?
I imagine that people will have conflicting takes on the concept of privatizing the TSA. For that matter, perspectives may differ greatly based on the scale at which this is being considered, and whether we’re talking about getting rid of TSA altogether, or just replacing the organization at small airports.
The Screening Partnership Program is currently used at a variety of airports, including major airports like Kansas City (MCI) and San Francisco (SFO), plus lots of smaller airports. By all accounts, it seems to be work just as well as what you’ll find at airports staffed directly by the TSA.
I don’t necessarily have strong opinions here one way or another. If you ask me, there’s nothing inherently wrong with privatizing airport security, and it would be nice if airport security was no longer a bargaining chip used during government shutdowns.
However, there are also some things I’m skeptical about. For example, if the goal with privatizing things is that the government wants companies to compete for these contracts (at least in the long run), I can’t help but wonder how fairly those will by awarded, and also if that could lead to a compromise in terms of safety. We all know how capitalism works — it’s all about short term gains, so do you really think a private company will be able to do this well on a huge scale?
The thing is, it’s not like the TSA has an amazing track record with stopping prohibited items. However, if the goal with this is simply to reduce costs as much as possible, I can’t help but think that might come with some negative consequences.
I also don’t love the framing of this and villainization of the TSA, about how it’s a “troubled Federal agency” in need of reform. The TSA is far from perfect, but as far as government organizations go, I hardly think it ranks up there in terms of being problematic.
Bottom line
President Trump officially wants to privatize the TSA, with the 2027 budget proposal showing tens of millions of dollars of savings from having more small airports enroll in the Screening Partnership Program (SPP), whereby private contractors will perform security.
I’m not totally opposed to this as a concept, though as usual, it comes down to the details, and how they’re executed.
What do you make of the proposal to privatize airport security?
May be it would be good. Look at some of the services like Clear or TSA Pre-Check and those are relatively well run. That are privatized or that people need to pay for. If a credit card includes it as a benefit that is not the point.
Does no one remember how bad airports security was before the TSA? I do. The TSA isn't perfect but it's better in every way than what we had before.
Almost refreshing to see a bog standard GOP rerun of intentionally breaking something in order to try and privatize it, instead of blatant extrajudicial executions in international waters or starting a war of choice in the Middle East.
Even in socialist Europe (or socialistic, ignorant MAGAs can’t even speak their own language), security is privatised. Unlike healthcare, which is taxpayer funded and mostly included in your tax bill. Still, our security is faster, more efficient and even the trolls at Heathrow T5 make your average TSA agent seem like a real troll. And if you need a hip replacement, get cancer or shot (as you do in Trumpistan), there’s no bill, no fear...
Even in socialist Europe (or socialistic, ignorant MAGAs can’t even speak their own language), security is privatised. Unlike healthcare, which is taxpayer funded and mostly included in your tax bill. Still, our security is faster, more efficient and even the trolls at Heathrow T5 make your average TSA agent seem like a real troll. And if you need a hip replacement, get cancer or shot (as you do in Trumpistan), there’s no bill, no fear of ending up at the wrong hospital and even poor people survive cancer. And you don’t have to choose between treatment for yourself now, or the possibility your wife might need it in the future…
And when those unionized private employees decide to call a "one day strike" like they occasionally like to do in Germany, France, Belgium etc......everything stops. Nice.
The bottom line is everything in the Trump administration is going to be worse but one of his donors or family members will be making a lot of money.
It was privatized leading up to 9/11.
At that time a preponderance of evidence indicated someone was not paying attention to detail……
Private airport screenings will be absolutely great cause they'll compete for both service and safety. They'll also turn up cheaper cause anything truly private is far cheaper that anything ever slightly govvy. Lefty trashbags will cry. The world will benefit. Win Win.
Hopefully small airports will now be forced to fund their security and not be dependent upon the general public to fund them.
"so do you really think a private company will be able to do this well on a huge scale?"
Did you really think about that before posting this?
This are hundreds of private companies that demonstrably operate with astounding efficiencies at large scale. And governments almost inevitably fail at doing so.
Did you really think before posting this? Very few private companies are held to the regulatory and record-keeping standards of national governments. And when the task is performing searches of people's bags and persons, I think it's better for the organization with more oversight and accountability to taxpayers, IE the national government, to perform those searches than a private contractor.
When contracting out a product or service you no longer control that product or service. Yes, you have a contract that outlines the expectations. The reason that contract exist, is for court. And if you are in court, there are problems.
Well sounds like just in time for Don Jr to invest in a newly established corporation that will magically win the bid. Call it TRUMP-SA, and charge us for naming rights too.
For all those who care, all this drama was spelled out in project 2025. Defund, discredit, blame the left, sell it off to loyal corporate that will do the bidding and send a little "donation" upstairs. Unfortunately, no oversight to be seen.
Hello, there are already quite a few US airports using private contract to handle to security check, including SFO. The official list can be found on TSA website:https://www.tsa.gov/for-industry/screening-partnerships
So you do not need to guess how good or bad it could be. It is real already, for quite a few years.
As SFO is my home airport, I have little-to-no concern about private contractors doing the screening...EXCEPT that there needs to be standardization between different contractors at different airports in terms of equipment used for said screening, policies regarding how people and objects are screened, etc. -- i.e.: shoes vs. no shoes, people with pacemaker or who have had joint replacements, and so on. And what of TSA pre-check and Global Entry?
"I have little-to-no concerns about private contracts. The following is a list of my concerns..."
This was always the strategy.
Purposely break the government. Sell off public assets to private corporations and wealthy individuals, who are personally loyal to the mafia-leader strong-man president.
See post-Soviet Russia under Putin.
Oh, and for the mouth-breathers, +1 million casualties in a war of choice and a crumbling economy which only benefits oligarchs, who, if they fall out of favor get pushed out of open windows… is not ‘good.’
I don't disagree with you, but I'd rather see screening privatized than have ICE in charge...
Privatizing would be bad. You dont need to overthink that.
Americans with a badge already often have a power complex, add in the private sector and you have a mess just waiting to happen.
What went so badly wrong that ppl actually voted for tangobaby?
private sector employees across the board understand that they can lose their job far more than government employees.
but, feel free to show us ACTUAL data on job performance - like maybe how effective security screeners are at MCI and SFO vs. other TSA operated locations. Got that for us?
Tim, how about showing ACTUAL data that private sector employees across the board understand that they can lose their job far more than government employees.
Got that for us?
Question. Are the contracts between DHS and the contract security OR between the airport entity and contract security? MCI or SFO? I've originated at MCI many times and the contract security seems to do its job.
Yes, this will definitely turn out to be good for the American people. Worry not. Trump’s got your backs.
The government has been deeply entrenched in political partisanship since early 1990s. The Constitution opened the door to gridlock and politicians ran with it unstoppable. Voters wanted to change but they continue to bring in candidates who immerse in chaos and dysfunctionality. Voters fail to study politicians' background and past records by being only interested in " the power of persuasion and motivation". We cannot excuse ourself as " a pawn" when we voted in...
The government has been deeply entrenched in political partisanship since early 1990s. The Constitution opened the door to gridlock and politicians ran with it unstoppable. Voters wanted to change but they continue to bring in candidates who immerse in chaos and dysfunctionality. Voters fail to study politicians' background and past records by being only interested in " the power of persuasion and motivation". We cannot excuse ourself as " a pawn" when we voted in a convicted felon into the WH by overlooking his past criminal acts. Capitalism comes in different shades but we only have crony capitalism that empowers and enriches the plutocrats. Today's "nouveaux" plutocrats reach their pinnacle without government subsidies and contracts, especially in AI and defense weaponry. Decent Americans should never lecture the world and each other about lawfulness as our current government is the world's top lawless country, both at home and abroad. Those who condemn " government is a problem not a solution" are always the first to receive government handouts/ welfare. I remember Reagan for his involvement in Iran-Contra affairs (when Iran-Israel- US were still in three-some relationship) and the failure of Star Wars that added 30 billion dollars in deficit in mid-1980s to national coffer.
I can't be the only person to remember why TSA was formed in the first place. Before 911, security was routinely handled by the lowest bidding contractors that hired people at minimum wage who often supplemented their pay with a sleight of hand in passenger carry ons. Bringing these
characters back is totally on brand for the current administration.
Yay. Qusay and Uday Trump are creating a new airport security screening company this weekend.
Once can only wonder who will be awarded the new contracts. Any guesses?
Interesting. Please provide a link to the source of this information.
I've been advocating for this for over 20 years.
As President Ronald Reagan once said, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'".
I fully support President Trump on this initiative.
This is nothing new or innovative.
The only new part is that it’s being done for another grift. Fleecing taxpayers is what this corrupt fat orange Nazi and his minions do.
This entire “administration” is a living breathing RICO enterprise.
Willy shows how TDS is still an active disease in some close minded libs.
This entire TSA privatization plan is detailed in Project 2025 playbook.There is nothing mysterious or "incompetent" going on. Repugs want to privatize all government services. Does anyone in America read anymore?
Tim Dunn and Donald Trump walk up to a TSA checkpoint.
The TSA agent, who hasn't been paid in weeks, looks at them and says, "Sorry, the lines are four hours long because we're short-staffed."
Trump leans in and says, "Don’t worry about it. It’s a disgrace, a total disaster. But I just signed an Executive Order to pay you with a secret slush fund. It’s beautiful money. The best money. You’re going to love...
Tim Dunn and Donald Trump walk up to a TSA checkpoint.
The TSA agent, who hasn't been paid in weeks, looks at them and says, "Sorry, the lines are four hours long because we're short-staffed."
Trump leans in and says, "Don’t worry about it. It’s a disgrace, a total disaster. But I just signed an Executive Order to pay you with a secret slush fund. It’s beautiful money. The best money. You’re going to love it."
Tim Dunn immediately pulls out a spreadsheet and says, "Actually, Donald, paying them with a slush fund is a sub-optimal allocation of capital. If the TSA were run like Delta’s Atlanta hub, they would have used 'non unions' to keep these agents working for free while maintaining a 99% operational reliability rating."
The TSA agent sighs, "Sir, I just want my paycheck."
Tim Dunn replies, "What you need is a Diamond Medallion tag for your uniform. I’ve already proven through trailing twelve-month data that Delta employees are 14% more loyal even when they aren't being paid. It’s a fact. Anything else is just a subjective lie.
Where will it end with this fool , as soon as there’s a MAJOR mishap ( to say the least) no one will pay attention
Trump is not a President. Stop calling him that, esp in a headline.
He is an uneducated, know nothing slob...
Last I checked, Donald John Trump is President of the United States of America. And you can't change that fact.
I mean if MAGA can change facts about a riot at the Capitol, 34 felony convictions, Haitian's eating pets... I'm pretty confident saying "Mr. Trump" is fair game.
I wouldn't even put a Mr. in front of Trump.
So in other words we’d do what Canada does…
and so do a whole lot of countries.
Why some people lose their minds when the US shifts services to the private sector as other countries have long done is hard to understand.
same with ATC to a lesser extent
In Canada it goes to the lowest bidder always it seems GaudaWorld. Last 5 year contract was for 2.7 billion signed in 2023. The agents often threaten to or go on strike to protest the low pay and working conditions. Frontline agents are little more than glorified rent a cops. The contracts are confidential so nobody knows how fair they are or if the tax payer is actually saving money. In spite of privatization CATSA...
In Canada it goes to the lowest bidder always it seems GaudaWorld. Last 5 year contract was for 2.7 billion signed in 2023. The agents often threaten to or go on strike to protest the low pay and working conditions. Frontline agents are little more than glorified rent a cops. The contracts are confidential so nobody knows how fair they are or if the tax payer is actually saving money. In spite of privatization CATSA is its own bureaucracy $$$ on top of the Garda contract and that like all bureaucracy’s is only interested in its own self preservation. The Canadian system is nothing to be emulated.
The motivation to do this is pretty simple.
When TSA becomes a political football, the process of keeping it operating is deeply flawed.
No worker should be told to come to work but not get paid. We saw it with ATC and TSA. Those functions can be outsourced and are in many countries.
Coast Guard, immigration enforcement are purely government functions.
He could bang your "wife" in front of you and you'd support it.
He wouldn't even wear the Delta A350 costume.
you are incapable of understanding anything because of your TDS.
It is an embarassment to any administration to have such a high profile agency not funded.
The solution is to turn that agency private.
It has nothing to do with partisan politics and everything to do with understanding politics -which you are incapable of doing.
There are multiple "solutions" available to the problem of TSA/ATCs not getting paid... one simple idea would be for Congress to do their literal job, perhaps motivating them to do so by withholding THEIR pay during shutdowns, too.
Or, similarly simple, Congress could pass any of the introduced legislation (2019 and 2025) that would allow Controllers to be paid during shutdowns (and do the same for TSA).
Or a third option we didn't know existed...
There are multiple "solutions" available to the problem of TSA/ATCs not getting paid... one simple idea would be for Congress to do their literal job, perhaps motivating them to do so by withholding THEIR pay during shutdowns, too.
Or, similarly simple, Congress could pass any of the introduced legislation (2019 and 2025) that would allow Controllers to be paid during shutdowns (and do the same for TSA).
Or a third option we didn't know existed until now is to have a President issue an illegal (but oddly enough, moral) E.O to pay them anyway.
Controllers/TSA not getting paid during shutdowns is a good *excuse* to privatize them, not a solid reason.
As to countries that do privitize them, maybe you just haven't noticed that America is uniquely situated as a "corporate profit > human lives" country. We've seen two accidents occur now *in part* because of poor staffing and working conditions... and that's with the government at the helm. Just wait until the private sector has controllers working 7 days a week instead of 6, and cuts their pay even further than stagnating wages already do. I mean in those other countries, they'd at least go on strike for that- but our country in its infinite wisdom has criminalized ATC strikes.
Last, I'd be remiss in all this not to mention Eskimo's pretend solution of replacing controllers with tech that doesn't yet exist.
Stick to DL posts, you have a hummingbird’s beak worth of credibility there
I love the fact that our President is undoing all the damage done by Barack HUSSAIN Obama.
Dave you’re a low IQ cunt
Actually the rapid and poorly thought out formation of TSA was W’s bumbling mess as was the search for Weapons of Mass Distraction aka the Iraq War.
It is genuinely adorable watching a comment section composed of frequent flyers pretend to understand federal procurement law. The sheer volume of hysteria regarding "kickbacks" and "billionaires" indicates that almost no one here has ever read a Federal Acquisition Regulation clause, but as usual everyone will accuse me of being Tim's AI assistant, and fall on deaf ears..
Let’s inject some actual operational reality into this emotional support group.
Expanding the Screening Partnership Program...
It is genuinely adorable watching a comment section composed of frequent flyers pretend to understand federal procurement law. The sheer volume of hysteria regarding "kickbacks" and "billionaires" indicates that almost no one here has ever read a Federal Acquisition Regulation clause, but as usual everyone will accuse me of being Tim's AI assistant, and fall on deaf ears..
Let’s inject some actual operational reality into this emotional support group.
Expanding the Screening Partnership Program (SPP) does not mean "getting rid of the TSA." The TSA remains the sole regulatory body. They still write the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), they still procure the hardware (like the Analogic CT scanners and L3 body scanners), and they still conduct the security clearances for the staff. The only thing changing is the labor execution.
Many of you are clutching your pearls over the "lowest bidder" fallacy, completely ignoring that federal security contracts use "Best Value Tradeoff" source selection, not LPTA (Lowest Price Technically Acceptable). The private contractor is held to strict, quantifiable performance metrics regarding wait times and detection rates. If a contractor underperforms, they face financial penalties or lose the contract entirely. Conversely, when a federal AFGE union worker fails a Red Team audit, they are virtually unfireable, and the agency uses the failure to demand a larger budget from Congress to "fix" their own incompetence.
Furthermore, the fact that half of you regularly fly through Heathrow, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam airports entirely screened by private security contractors operating under strict government mandates and then log on here to scream that doing the exact same thing in the US is a "racket" is peak cognitive dissonance.
You are defending a bloated, un-fireable federal labor monopoly that routinely fails its own security audits simply because you do not like the politician proposing the change. Step out of the political echo chamber and look at the operational data.
Please, please I beg of you, logically disagree with me, and shill over the TSA?
What I fail to understand here is how this helps prevent "chaos" when budget stuff comes up. Let's pretend the current staffing of TSA agents is utterly fungible with private companies in a competitive bidding environment. Private companies, notably, will stop work if they don't get paid. Whether airport security is done through federal employees directly or through a private company, if you don't pay people they tend to not show up at work.
Airports...
What I fail to understand here is how this helps prevent "chaos" when budget stuff comes up. Let's pretend the current staffing of TSA agents is utterly fungible with private companies in a competitive bidding environment. Private companies, notably, will stop work if they don't get paid. Whether airport security is done through federal employees directly or through a private company, if you don't pay people they tend to not show up at work.
Airports used to operate using private security paid for by the airlines pre-9/11, and it took things like a hundred+ hijackings and other incidents to get them to install metal detectors in 1972. Presumably a lot of that is that we didn't have these things in train stations, and airports are just train stations for airplanes, so why wouldn't we copy train station modes of operation?
Fundamentally, this is a low-paying, high-turnover job which then requires specialized knowledge of how to do things like "read the outputs of a luggage scanner and identify a knife", which is not as easy as you might think, so it's always going to suck.
The concern with the public thing is "TSA agents are unfireable", which is not true you just can't fire them without cause, and the concern with the private thing is "if they're already low-paying jobs, where's the profit margin appearing for the companies bidding?", and I do not have an answer for that.
This is what I’m wondering as well. The private contractor would still have to get paid through a budget passed by Congress. How would this change the potential politicization of airport security?
Contracts are paid out in advance to companies. The money is already delegated and therefore not affected by shutdowns.
Anal logic.
That is all.
Your answer looks good on paper but we are faced with the reality that this is the most corrupt administration since Grant. They ignore Congressional oversight and most of their management & procurement decisions have ranged from incompetence to criminal.
As a retired federal law enforcement officer who investigated white collar crimes, no need for me to clutch pearls. I know exactly who these people are.
Yeah, I'm sure those drone contracts with Unusual Machines, Powerus, and Xtend are completely legitimate and have nothing to do with Trumps owning and/or being on their boards.
You've been played by this admin, brother.
lol it's the plot to rob america blind, over and over, everywhere - every day a new way to extract taxpayer dollars and shovel them into billionaire pockets
i like the french solution to this
Privatizing public services is almost always a bad idea. Worse service. More expensive. Less good jobs. More private data and Money going to the billionaire technocrats. I would oppose this no matter what party or administration proposed it.
The DoD has many security contracts that were put out for bid to companies , reviewed carefully and awarded appropriately. Do i believe DHS will follow any of the above? Not a chance.
TSA screeners are probably not trusted with top secret information. If so, they would be no different from private security. Private security could probably hire cheaper labor for crowd control and gathering luggage bins.
Remembering how unprofessional previously airline security screening was prior to 9/11 this is concerning but totally depends upon how it is privatized. No more LaToya’s with the hair weaves and nails, Jeremiah’s helping get the contraband through for the local smuggler.
The Attorney General got fired today. The hidden Epstein files must be gold. Lost two planes in Iran. Some aircrews rescued thank goodness. Strait still closed. Qatari LNG will take up to three years to repair. Houthis attacking shipping lanes. The Defense Secretary is a mad man. Oh wait, let’s hire our corrupt buddies to run TSA.
Yep, those "Hidden Epstein Files" - that if released, would finally Get Trump!
You know, the same files that the Biden administration, the democrat-controlled Senate, the democrat-controlled House of Representatives, and the Democrat-Administration-Appointed heads of the FBI and Department of Justice, and the Democrat Attorney General had complete control and access to, for up to four years, including leading up to and during the last election against their arch nemesis - and yet they couldn't...
Yep, those "Hidden Epstein Files" - that if released, would finally Get Trump!
You know, the same files that the Biden administration, the democrat-controlled Senate, the democrat-controlled House of Representatives, and the Democrat-Administration-Appointed heads of the FBI and Department of Justice, and the Democrat Attorney General had complete control and access to, for up to four years, including leading up to and during the last election against their arch nemesis - and yet they couldn't manage to find, leak, nor release any damaging disclosures those entire four years.
But I'm sure there's SOMETHING still in there! And if they don't release it NOW, tHaT jUsT pRoVeS tHeRe'S sOmEtHiNg In ThErE tO iMpLiCaTe TrUmP!
do you trump cultists also think theres no market manipulation going on considering every time he makes some idiotic statement that causes the markets to drop, right before theres always been a spike in trading?
The basics of why they were not disclosed during the Biden Administration is that DoJ Policy does not allow the dissemination while a case is under prosecution or appeal.
Now that Maxwell is out of appeals it can now - notwithstanding the bill passed by Congress, and signed by President Dotard - the information leading to the conviction is disclosable.
It was not at all during the Biden Admin.
I've seen the difference first hand going through some of the smaller airports which utilize private screeners. A privatized, non-union TSA would be a MAJOR improvement. It's like the difference between American Airlines flight attendants (militant, angry union types) and Delta flight attendants (non-union, with empathy and tremendous customer service). Long overdue. Although 1990 may miss the TSA groping (based on his prior creepy posts).
What makes you think a “privatized TSA, would be non-union?
>I've seen the difference first hand going through some of the smaller airports which utilize private screeners.
I think you may be mistaking, or at the very least conflating, the effect of "smaller airports" with "privatized screeners". I flew out of HNL, LIH, and OGG in the past 10 days. Short lines, pleasant and professional TSA agents, and no anger/blaming even when we had a DOB typo on our flight leaving HNL. They even put...
>I've seen the difference first hand going through some of the smaller airports which utilize private screeners.
I think you may be mistaking, or at the very least conflating, the effect of "smaller airports" with "privatized screeners". I flew out of HNL, LIH, and OGG in the past 10 days. Short lines, pleasant and professional TSA agents, and no anger/blaming even when we had a DOB typo on our flight leaving HNL. They even put us in the priority screening line after we sorted it with Hawaiian's guest services, which appeared to be standard for inter-island flights at HNL.
And on another note, the Delta flight from OGG to ATL had some of the worst flight attendants I've encountered in the Delta system, below the average I've experienced with AA. Non-Union does not mean no attitude and no laziness.
Basically everything this clown touches turns to sh!t now - so probably No it won’t go well
Is America great again yet, trumptards?
Keep believing in the book of Epstein and praying in the name of AIPAC.
Nothing novel here. Airport screening was done by private contractors at US airports before 9/11.
So it might be a good idea to revisit the arguments that were used to remove it from private contractors, me thinks…
100% for that. The biggest threat to air safety are the drunk dregs of society that think an airplane and an airport are the same as the streets they loiter in and commit their crimes. That's what airport security should be focused on.
So George is a Member of the Temperance Union. Makes sense.
To be fair this should not be a surprise as was well trailed in project 2025. I suspect Eric or Don junior will have a company that wins a contract that is more costly than the current structure. Grifters gonna grift.
this one sounds familiar...hinder a government provided service in some way, complain that it doesn't work or do its job well, suggest/privitize it to one of your buds, have them charge the government some single, double, or triple digit figure of what the government was paying for said service, if there are issues, complain that government isn't paying enough to have the private service operate properly
organized racket
I don't think that this was the Democrats plan in withholding the funding for TSA but this may indeed be the outcome. TSA (or similar) funding needs to be reliable and beyond political whim (like congressional pay) in order to retain employees. We need to remember these are not highly paid individuals and many (all) live paycheck to paycheck so when that income is withheld it causes much suffering and pain.
Gonna completely ignore that other countries such as England have already privatized airport security? Guess it doesn’t fit the oRaNgE mAn BaD narrative..
No you twat, it’s that he isn’t actually interested in “fixing” things, just reading himself and his grifter posse
Make that “enriching”. Esp since he doesn’t read so well these says.
UA-NYC calling somebody a twat is my favorite part of comments on this blog.
Am not a Brit but one of my favorite things they say
Why so aggressive and rude?
Get ready for the contracts to be awarded to companies with Trumps on the board. Or as advisors. Or as any of the above for parent organizations. Maybe even companies incorporated mere days before winning the contracts.
America is now being robbed blind from the Oval Office and it looks like it's going to reach Gaddafi levels of plundering.
Cuz the Biden’s, Clinton’s, Bush’s, etc definitely didn’t do anything bad
No, not even close.
LOL 9c. Only in the MAGAverse is the presence of some corruption in prior administrations an excuse to fully and completely pursue corruption in the present one.
Security screening was conducted by private companies before 9/11. The whole reason TSA was created in 2001 was to increase transportation safety and reduce laxity of screening. What comes around goes around, I guess…
All of the 9/11 terrorists got thru airport security (run by private companies instead of a government agency) with the box cutters used to hijack all four aircraft.
And everyone forgets is was legal to carry a box cutter through security back then.
Creating the TSA to handle security in response to 9/11 was a knee-jerk reaction to make people feel safer - but had the TSA been in charge before the attacks (under the...
All of the 9/11 terrorists got thru airport security (run by private companies instead of a government agency) with the box cutters used to hijack all four aircraft.
And everyone forgets is was legal to carry a box cutter through security back then.
Creating the TSA to handle security in response to 9/11 was a knee-jerk reaction to make people feel safer - but had the TSA been in charge before the attacks (under the same rules in place at the time), the results would have been the same.
In the grand scheme of things, this doesn't even matter. People will continue to get screened and board their planes. I'm at Kansas City airport every month and you don't even notice a difference.
Same, I’m at MCI 6-8 times a month and I find the security experience at MCI to be indistinguishable from anywhere else. I guess other than the grey shirts and the officers tend to be a little less brusque. If the screening is “just as effective” I don’t really care who does it.
There are fair arguments for and against this. But, will the actual contracting ***process*** be fair? Kristi Noem's chief of staff had been purportedly seeking kickbacks from DHS contractors. Apparently, the new DHS has frozen major contracts while investigating. But, this is a fair concern.
It is a fair concern; the question is whether to rank it any lower or higher on the list of potential fraud compared to other contracts.
There will undoubtedly be a nice little kickback for the Trump Organisation along the way, with trailing commissions for decades to come.
Yes, I think the precedent is that "the Big Guy" gets 10%.
The contract would likely be awarded to a company who has paid to play with this administration, using the Noem/Lewandowski playbook that landed the $220M DHS advertising campaign.
"if the goal with privatizing things is that the government wants companies to compete for these contracts, I can’t help but wonder how fairly those will by awarded, and also if that could lead to a compromise in terms of safety. "
That is not how the Screening Partnership Program works. I do not think this is ideal at all, but what happens in places like San Francisco and Kansas City is that the TSA...
"if the goal with privatizing things is that the government wants companies to compete for these contracts, I can’t help but wonder how fairly those will by awarded, and also if that could lead to a compromise in terms of safety. "
That is not how the Screening Partnership Program works. I do not think this is ideal at all, but what happens in places like San Francisco and Kansas City is that the TSA selects a company that they determine is a good fit, and assigns it to the airport. It is not a competitive RFP process. The airport does not even have a say in what company is chosen.
I think the key issue here is that if you're introducing a profit margin while also trying to constrain costs, the only thing you can cut is wages or staffing. Neither of these lead to high quality employees who stick around for any length of time. The fix to the political issue is to pass a law that clearly says TSA agents get paid in the event of a shutdown, which shouldn't be an issue because they're largely funded by ticket taxes anyhow.
You’re technically correct in general but many private corporations can do for less the same job as the government solely on the basis of overhead. Lower cost doesn’t always mean less money in the pockets of employees, sometimes it can mean less bloat.
Definitely agree that since the security fee is part of the ticket there shouldn’t have ever been an interruption in their pay.
Based on my experience at LaGuardia this morning, it seems like TSA has already been mostly replaced... by ICE
How I miss flying Emirates, where ICE stands for their 6500 channel Information, Connectivity, and Entertainment system.
It has a much less intimidating ring to it than the other variety.
Great idea. Make sure the funding can’t be cut for this during a shutdown, and also make sure the security agents can’t collectively bargain or strike.
Yes, and make sure that the contracts are no bid and can be given to insiders who have recently started new companies. This could be similar to other DHS contracts.