Can the Government Keep Us Safe? – Really?

Guest Author Post

by Chris Tuthill, Contributing Author

I am all for safety.

But Federal, State and local government regulation has gone far beyond safety.

In early 2010 when TSA nominee Errol Southers pulled his nomination I said then on the air that the TSA was becoming a political agency with disputes about cost overruns and labor organizations. It was not primarily about safety. And I intend to say it again….because I am very angry.

The airports are a perfect example.

According to Janet Napolitano this week, the TSA is a success because we are getting lotions and liquids and other items out of the aircraft. Meanwhile I can put 3 or 4 bags in cargo without anyone so much as blinking an eye.

The last 4 attempted attacks that we know about:

1. Christmas Day bomber – He should have been on a no fly list and stopped outside of the USA.
2. Ft. Hood murderer – He didn’t need an airplane and murdered and injured dozens.  He had a calling card.
3. Times Square bomber – He didn’t need an airplane
4. Cargo bombs to Chicago – No full body scans would have stopped it.

We have been lulled by our government into thinking they can protect us.

This is the same government which is suing Arizona over enforcing immigration law, which the governor of Arizona supports to protect Arizona’s citizens.

This is the same government which cannot (will not) enforce our borders.

This is the same government which cannot find a safe way to close Guantanamo.

This is the same government which cannot find a safe way to try prisoners of war.

This is the same government which cannot find a reasonable and cost effective way to make healthcare affordable.

This is the same government which stole our retirement money and bankrupted Medicare.

This is the same government which did not know what Bernie Madoff was up to.

This is the same government which pays rich salaries to government workers and offers them pensions that the taxpayers cannot afford.

Should I mention Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?

This is the same government which used to run the post office!

What makes us believe that they are keeping anyone from doing anything?

And what makes us think we are safe (even if the scanning procedures did work) unless EVERY airport around the world implemented the exact same procedures.  How many passengers fly INTO the USA every day who have not had a full body scan?

Hey….if I were a terrorist….I would start thinking out of the box (or out of the airplane).  I would find some way to commit acts of terrorism outside of an airplane.  You betcha….I can think of a way.

Our TSA is reactionary and expensive.

Let each airline do it privately. Let each passenger choose what airline they want to fly. If you want to pay for an expensive airline ticket with all the body scan frills…..have at it. If you want to pay for a less expensive airline that doesn’t do the searches…..that’s your privilege.

The tough and realistic decision is to keep an up to date NO FLY list to which ALL airline computers have instantaneous access when they book a flight. Their computers simply access the NO FLY list and the passenger is declined. Just like a credit card.  Employees don’t have access.  The computer does.

The tough and realistic decision is to deny any passenger paying cash for a ticket, whether one way or round trip.

The tough and realistic decision is to profile and not to allow any international passengers into the USA who have come from origins (not connecting airports) where the same strict guidelines are not enforced.

The tough and realistic decision is for this Administration to tell us they will do their level best to keep us safe within the confines of the Constitution, but that they honestly cannot guarantee anything.

The taxpayers are paying a huge tab because we are unwilling to profile.

The taxpayers are paying a huge tab because we want to BELIEVE that the government can keep us safe.

Chris Tuthill is a radio commentator, concerned Christian conservative, and TEA Party supporer.

Chris Tuthill joined Richard Caster in putting together the Ozark Tax Day Tea Party in 2009. Her background is primarily in finance and stock trading but most recently she has been active in disaster relief after hurricanes in the South and fires in Southern California. She is married with several children and grandchildren. Her perspective, looking back over the years, is to preserve what her Father fought and almost died for in World War II. She dedicates all of her work to her parents – who instilled in her belief in God – Family – and Country.