The cost per person of the Terrorist Support Agency’s Registered Traveler program to pre-clear passengers and give them a “fast lane” through airport security would be $200 per year, out of the range of many business travelers.
The costs include an annual fee of $80 for the program, along with $30 for a terrorist watchlist check, $20 for a separate criminal background check, and $70 to pay for dedicated TSA screeners and screening lanes at participating airports.
Businesses wanting to get the program started, though, say the cost would deter many people from participating.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., whose committee oversees Registered Traveler, said $200 “far exceeds anything that’s ever been entertained. …You don’t know if it’s going to succeed now.”
Larry Zmuda, head of homeland security for Pennsylvania-based Unisys, which also wants to run Registered Traveler, said the heftier price tag “would be a huge blow.” It could deter millions from signing up and make Registered Traveler unprofitable at some airports, he said.
The program would operate only at airports that choose to apply and are approved by TSA. About 20 have applied so far.
The TSA says it wants to avoid spending taxpayer dollars on Registered Traveler. “It’s a private-sector program, and it’s designed to have Registered Traveler customers pay for use of the lane,” [TSA spokeswoman Ellen] Howe said. — USA TODAY
It’s fine to have the program paid for by the people using it, rather than the taxpayers, but homeland security analyst Christian Beckner says that $70 is much more than the actual costs of airport screening. “Travelers already pay for part of the cost of TSA screeners via the existing aviation security fees,” Beckner wrote. “For this $70 portion of the total cost, I think a more nuanced analysis of cost allocations is in order.”
Some security experts don’t like the registered traveler program because it would be too tempting for terrorists to attempt to register in an effort to subvert airport security, and invariably, some would pass the background screening and be approved for the program. “The Trusted Traveler program is based on the dangerous myth that terrorists match a particular profile and that we can somehow pick terrorists out of a crowd if we only can identify everyone,” said Bruce Schneier. “That’s simply not true.”
Last year I pointed out that terrorists, even if not approved for the program, could register just to find out if they were on government watchlists.
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Ultimately, the war supporters in Congress prevailed in the vote on the resolution. Still, the vote was significant because it places every member of Congress on the record as supporting or not supporting the unconstitutional, costly, violent occupation of a country that never attacked us. This vote should serve as an important reminder to the American people of where their representatives really stand when it comes to policing the world, empire building, and war.
Gardner Goldsmith explains why claims by politicians that consumers can become "irrational" and why claims by the same politicians that government can help "fix" markets are both false and misleading. He also explains what the terms Praxeology and Epistemology mean, which is key in understanding how to place free markets in their proper place among human history.
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Lenny Zimmermann
Sep 15, 2006
Hmmm.. I’m a government contractor with a DoD ID badge and security clearance to boot… Yeah, paying $200 a year for YET ANOTHER BACKGROUND CHECK sounds Okie Dokie with me… NOT!
I’m sorry, was I just critical of the government in public? I think I must try to remember to use my “inside voice” more often. ;)
Anonymous
Sep 15, 2006
It’s a great way to have yourself screened. If you pass, you cause mayhem.
Planes are not the only means to cause mayhem. If people don’t start thinking thru the problem, we’e all gonna end up paying hugely for some very big horribbly be
O crap, this site doesn’t provide a wide enuff screen. Is it government?
nolocontendere
Sep 15, 2006
From airports to the internet to the highways, they’re going to try to be gatekeepers and make them all toll roads. Goodbye freedom.
Peter
Sep 15, 2006
Personally, I kind of like the whole idea of not being so safe. It makes me feel alive to think that something horrific could happen to me while I am on a plane or sitting in front of a cafe sipping a latte. Let’s all remember that the United States of America was founded by terrorists rather than patriots. The Boston Tea party was an act of terror, as was the war for independence from England. The minutemen were guerilla fighters who killed British soldiers in any way they could. Isn’t it about time that this country admits that it was founded on acts of terror? That would be honest, healthy and sincere to do so. I know one thing for sure. It’s that the so called “terrorist” do have a point. Why else would they be willing to die to get their message accross? It’s just too bad that we cannot perceive that our country has brought this upon itself.
reflux
Sep 15, 2006
All of the 911 hijackers could have easily got on that list….scarey..Bruce Schneier is right, there is no face to terror. If we give up our freedom for security in the end we will have neither.
Eric, Australia
Sep 16, 2006
ACHTUNG! Papers Please!
It must have been a real bitch for BushCo to resist, or take advice against calling it the “Dept Of Fatheland Security”
Sieg Heil Mein Furher :o(
Eric, Australia
Sep 16, 2006
Spelling!! that should read “Dept Of Fatherland Security”
Sieg Heil
atruepatriot
Sep 16, 2006
They can only win if you play the game….lets all just quit flying until the
they get the message that we’re not going to play their games.
Mike
Sep 16, 2006
I quit flying in 2001. I refuse to bow to TSA, or others. By the way, I never met a “terrorist”, and have no particular fear of them, or of airplanes. On the other hand, there are gov’t minions everywhere, and they always demand your attention and compliance.
ka
Sep 16, 2006
“$20 for a separate criminal background check”
#1 what are they looking for?
#2 what will prevent you from travelling?
Mark McGrew
Sep 16, 2006
I don’t know what everybody is complaining about.
Get a life. Quit gripping and move back to America.
We don’t have this kind of Gestapo government in America.
So quit fighting it and just move your butts back to the good ole’ USA!
Survival Acres
Sep 16, 2006
The myth of terrorism must be exposed. NO program can possibly identify all of the potential terrorists and thus, are basically stupid, shorsighted ideas that do nothing to protect us.
It is the cause of terrorism (what tiny little real terrorism there actually is, including all the government sponsored terrorism) that must be addressed, instead of punishing EVERYBODY, which is what these programs do, while accomplishing almost nothing to prevent terrorism.
The myth behind all of this is how these programs are going to make us safer. This has proven to be totally bogus and serves on the profiteers.
What is really going on here is justification for larger budgets, bigger staffs, promotions and the contractors behind the screenings – equipment, software, personnel, etc., this ‘terrorism’ activity is making billions of dollars in profits for certain companies and is the true reason why we are being forced to “choose” from the allegedly lesser of two evils.
But nothing is being done to the root causes of terrorism, which is yet one more reason why such programs will never work. Inequality, injustice and oppression, outright resource theft and war are still very much alive, terrorism is the result. Terrorism will always be with us until these issues are resolved, period. Failure to address these issues and punish all the non-terrorist in the world (the world’s citizenry) is a complete waste of time and money, but not for the morons that promote and profit from these schemes.
Americans should soundly reject being treated like wayward children and reject these programs – or refuse to fly. I have not flown in 12 years and never will as long as I am being treated like a terrorist.
I would never consider paying for the what is my right to travel unencumbered and without government ‘permission’ or permission from a private company. The very concept is absurd and reveals the utter sheepleness of most Americans and American corporations who fail to understand their rights.
I Know The Truth
Sep 16, 2006
First of all Terrorism is a myth. I keep waiting for this myth to be
publicly de-bunked in our mainstream media, but it never happens. I quit
flying on airplanes because I do not beleive that all this extra
security makes any of us safer in the air and I do not want to be
harrassed by airport screeners. Additionally, I don’t want to be
robbed by the baggage handlers either. The strangely odd events
surrounding the 9-11 hijackings of the 4 planes screams INSIDE JOB
to me. So I look at it this way: If THEY are planning another event
like that – what the hell is the REGISTERED TRAVELER PROGRAM going to
do for me? Not a dam thing…. I say we all boycott this program.
TerraHertz
Sep 16, 2006
Terrorism is a myth. There are no terrorists. Simple proof – if there were, any industrialised nation targetted by serious terrorists would quickly be brought to its knees by sabotage of critical energy infrastructure. Powerlines in the county, etc. There are crucial things that _cannot_ feasibly be guarded. And which don’t require suicide as part of the attack plan.
So, why the constant terrorism scare tactics, including false flag psyop ‘attacks’? (Which all of them are.)
Several reasons. One is to keep the people afraid, and therefore ready to agree to whatever fascist measures imposed by a government gone mad. This one is becoming fairly widely understood.
But another reason not many people are aware of, is ‘demand destruction’, as a means of staving off public awareness of the severity of the coming energy/oil crisis. Wondered why airlines are the target of so much ’security’ bullshit?
A: because the aim is to get people to simply stop flying. Of their own choice, rather than through realisation that the fuel consumption and costs are becoming too high to be feasible. The last thing Big Oil wants, is people realising that the party is just about over. Why, people might get the idea that ’something must be done about it.’
Indira
Sep 17, 2006
Beware The Rise Of The Fourth Reich
John
Sep 17, 2006
America is turning into Nazi Germany.
John Jarvi
Sep 18, 2006
You can not simultaneously claim to be fighting for freedom and taking freedoms away. The increasing intrusive government clearly hates us for our freedom and won’t be satified until there are security cameras everywhere and no email or phone record uncensored for anything of value. Even a business idea will be stolen and passed on to some larger corporate screening giant for their use.