Why, aren't the privately owned airlines responsible for our safety when it comes to air travel?

[mzmolly]

Republicans claim that private industry is much more effective and efficient than government, so why aren't the airlines doing THEIR job properly screening potential terrorists?

In order to protect Americans in the air, we either need an effective international system of cooperation (which Republicans would likely oppose given an"international body would be involved. Or, we need to hold airlines responsible. Neither option would be acceptable to Dick Cheney.

[ddeclue]

1. False premise - they actually are.

[mzmolly]

2. I disagree. Cheney didn't rail on the airlines today.

He blamed the President.

My point is, no one would call for firing the head of NWA if we had a terrorist attack using one of their planes.

[ddeclue]

3. Actually they would.

[mzmolly]

5. Do you have link to demonstrate where this has happened?

Thanks.

[tabasco]

4. What are all those gubmint people doing in the airports, then?

Like the TSA guys that take your bags.

[TiberiusGracchus]

10. If they were allowed to conduct their own security, private airlines would use racial profiling

It would yield the security that El Al enjoys but at a grievous cost to our principles.

We need unionisation at collective bargaining to protect the workers at our airports, not more allowances for corporations enriching themselves with "value-added" services like gestapo-style security.

[mzmolly]

13. Chris Matthews had a professor on his program last night

who happened to be Muslim. She argued that she'd give up a few extra minutes to be safe. She also argued that Al Qaida has killed far more Muslims than any other group.

I don't think we'd have to encourage racial profiling. Anyone can become a terrorist and blow up a plane.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

6. Because they would do cost benefit analysis.

The airlines would calculate acceptable risk in $$$... costs of terrorism (mostly paying off the families) versus costs of security.

And not just literal $$$ costs, but costs in lost business. If security was less of a hassle people would fly more.

But the government operates politically, so we get absolutist stuff like "If it saves one life it's worth not letting anyone fly, wasting billions of man-hours in line-waiting, etc..."

All things considered, I might actually prefer the business approach to this particular problem.

[mzmolly]

7. We have a slightlly combined approach

to this issue, but not enough international cooperation IMHO.

[Don Caballero]

8. El Al is the safest airline of all

Why do we not follow and learn from the Israelis when it comes to airline security? Never had an incidence ever.

[mzmolly]

14. I agree. I guess the wait times are incredible but it seems to me

many would agree, if it meant we'd actually have a competent system.

[FSogol]

9. Aren't govt controlled security at airports....GASP... Socialism?

oh noes!!11

[mzmolly]

11. Whose government and which airport?

;)

[Obamanaut]

12. Mebbe so, and from what I've been reading many, if not most, people

are not happy with the way it's working out.

[spanone]

15. and do only socialists take 'social security' ???

[mzmolly]

16. LOL

The peeps on SS today, are largely Republican from what I gather? Silly them! ;)