Has The TSA Made Airline Travel Safer?

According to the results of the Department of Homeland Security's internal investigation, the answer is NO!  In fact, the failure rate in detecting explosives and other dangerous materials, is higher than it was in 2007.  According to the report by ABC, and confirmed by government officials and reported to CNN, the failure rate on their internal investigation was 95%.  "Red teams" with the Department of Homeland Security were able to get banned items through the screening process in 67 out of 70 tests it conducted across the nation.  Melvin Carraway, acting administrator for the TSA would be reassigned.  What does one have to do to get fired?

The TSA issued a statement following Carraway's reassignment.  "Today, all air travelers are subject to a robust security system that employs multiple layers of protection, both seen and unseen, including: intelligence gathering and analysis, cross-checking passenger manifests against watchlists, screening at checkpoints, random canine team screening at airports, reinforced cockpit door, Federal Air Marshals, armed pilots and a vigilant public.  In combination, these layers provide enhanced security creating a much stronger and protected transportation system for the traveling public."  If this is so, why did their internal investigation fail so miserably?  An enormous amount of government resources, including $540 million on baggage screening equipment and millions more on training, and what do we have to show for it?  The most effective solution is not always the most expensive one.  Perhaps bomb sniffing dogs, which are far less expensive than fancy equipment, might help.

TSA screeners never seem to miss an emory board or a 4oz bottle of shampoo.  They seem to be diligent in making sure that every 85 year old disabled woman in a wheel chair is examined from head to toe, yet they miss explosives and knives in 95% of the cases in their own investigation.  We're paying for all this and we need to demand better safeguards.  If the TSA was doing a good job, we would have heard about it.  They're not doing a good job, and they are not keeping us safer.  With such a dramatic failure by the TSA I'm sure change will come.  The question is when, and how much will really change?