Just say no to air travel
Posted by keithosaunders on November 20, 2010
Enough is enough. The TSA has made it clear to us that they will have their way with our bodies, whether it be by radiation exposure or excessive groping of genitalia. Let’s face it, the experience of air travel has long ceased to be anything approaching glamorous, let alone tolerable. Let’s exercise our last line of recourse and vote with our pocket books.
If enough of us refused to fly the airlines would feel compelled to offer incentives as a way of drawing us back. Number one on their priority would almost certainly be expunging the TSA from the airports and replacing them with private security.
Since that alone would not be enough to entice this jaded traveller to return I am offering my own list of incentives.
1) Elimination of charges for checking luggage.
2) Ability to fully refund my ticket up to 7 days prior to flying
3) A guarantee that when I purchase a ticket that I will have a seat waiting for me. This means that when I purchase my ticket I immediately have an assigned seat.
4) Price of in-air food decreased by 50%.
5) Two in-air drinks for the price of one.
6) In case of flight delays exceeding 30 minutes passengers receive a $50 voucher which can be used towards future flight purchase.
7) In case of delays upwards of 60 minutes passengers receive $80 in airport VIP lounge script and lunch with John Elway.
I’m negotiable on point 7.
This entry was posted on November 20, 2010 at 8:10 pm and is filed under life. Tagged: air travel, airport, airport security, backscatter machine, flying, John Elway, TSA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
The World According to Keitho 
bkivey said
I recently flew on a one-way ticket and no scanner, no body search. Previously I’ve had to go through a more thorough interrogation from TSA while holding a one-way ticket, but not involving a body search. I also learned years ago not to go shooting a couple of days prior to flying: apparently gunpowder residue stays with you for awhile.
TSA claims that their searches are ‘administrative’ searches, and thus not subject to the same 4th Ammendment restrictions as criminal searches. Well, they’re not searching for ‘administrators’, are they? They need to be called on this. Where the hell is the ACLU? I haven’t heard one civil rights group making any noise over this.
To extent possible I’ll be looking at Amtrak or driving or even Greyhound for my travel plans, and I plan to let the airline I would have taken know each time I do. An airline ticket is a contract between me and the carrier, not a license for a government agent to frisk me.
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
Benjamin Franklin
keithosaunders said
I checked the ACLU’s website and they are compiling information for possible action. Their front page has the headline The Audacity of Grope. http://www.aclu.org/technology-and-liberty/audacity-grope-tsas-new-pat-down?a#a
This is an issue that liberals and conservativese can agree on. For me the biggest apportion of the blame should go to the American people who are too accepting of this injustice. Flying may not be a right but an unwarranted search is.
bkivey said
I wrote a post on this, if you haven’t already looked at it.
Just heard on the news a comment by a business traveler at LAX “They can do whatever it takes to keep us safe.” A person who Doesn’t Get It.
I rather suspect that air travel safety would be little compromised if people were allowed their pocket knives (I’d even agree to the Sullivan standard), their bottled water, and whatever other accoutrements we took on planes prior to 9/11. It wasn’t things that brought down four airliners, it was the learned response of airline passengers to sit still and not make trouble and they’d probably get through all right. That attitude is no longer valid, and judging from the manhandling would-be hijackers have received, not practiced, either.
jb said
“An airline ticket is a contract between me and the carrier, not a license for a government agent to frisk me.”
BK–precisely so. Likewise, Franklin’s quote has never been so applicable as in the present, when not merely the TSA, but every single facet of gummint has gone either marxist or fascist.
BTW–the TSA’s nonsense about “administrative searches” not being subject to 4th Amendment restrictions is a fiction created by the legal, though likewise fictional 9th Court of Appeals—the screaming marxists in California who would kiss Lenin’s and Stalins crusty old dead asses. The 4th Amendment was specifically a guarantee against such administrative bullshit!
Somewhere in my many meanderings on my site, I mention the fact that since the inception of the TSA, I have not stepped foot onto an airplane. I will not give my business to a lackey stooge of gummint. The airlines need gummint bailouts all the times, which is why they have been dead-ass totally silent about this TSA crap.
There is one shining ray of hope, though. The TSA is showing us, if we will but see, how gummint really views us – as their servants to be manipulated and lied to–and that by BOTH political parties.
🙂
keithosaunders said
Thanks for the comment, jb. You still haven’t convinced me that Obama is a socialist. It will take more than extending a few benefits to folks that are in desparate need of them to make an effective comparision between us and the Soviets.
The genius of the powers-that-be is their ability to convince us that the great divide is left vs right, or blacks vs white. No, the real divide is rich vs poor and it is growing wider all the time. I just heard a report (this is out of Virginia) that a wealthy person will live, on average, 8 years longer than one in poverty. Poor people, be they white or black, are less likely to earn college degrees and some high schools in Virginia have elimintated physics classes entirely, thus rendering people unable to find jobs that pay livable wages.
It is the corporations, not the government, who are pulling the strings. This is why Obama cannot prosecute war criminals, let alone impose meaningful regulations on the same banks that nearly sent us into depression two years ago. It is in their interest to keep you and I arguing about liberal vs conservative. They are doing an aces job.
jbiii said
Keith—
First thing . . . Obama qualifies as a war criminal, given his increased involvement in Afghani-useless. And let a mere general diss his Community Organizer lack of experience, and the Bammster reinstates the number one war hawk as Commander. C’mon Dude, think before you write some of what you do.
I did not make a comparison to the Soviets—they bastardized Marx as did the Chinese. I said that—that they took off on their own versions, as did Hitler and and Mussolini. Bottom line is this: 6 million in Germany, 36 million in the Soviet Union, and almost 60 million in the Long March years under Mao. THat hasn’t a damned thing to do with “Corporatism”—which seems to fluff the panties of the left without exception. But Dude, I am a corporation . . . I have to be, so I don’t give an extra 10 grand of my 50 grand annual to the gummint for no reason except to pay some non=working individual for sitting at home.
You very words above play on the very “class-conflict” central to socialism and Marx. IF I hold you to what you say, then every penny you make above the poverty line you should, in good conscience, send to gummint so they can give it away to someone who will not work.
Let me add to that . . . I am self-employed—have been 90% of the time since I left the Air Force. I have TRIED to hire people (way above minimum wage) who would take one week’s check and disappear. That is merely those who did make the effort. The rest, when they found out I expected 40 + honest hours a week (Sundays always off)—were gone quicker than a Chinese missile off the California coast. I offer anyone not working a job, and 95% will refuse, and when I ask them why, it’s cause on the 3rd of every month they, and half the household, are getting their gummint check, courtesy of the US taxpayer.
If the rich live longer (and mind you, everyone on welfare and CHIPS and Medicare and Medicaid is in the 90th + percentile of income IN THE WORLD), then the rich probably live longer for reasons other than merely income. You might say health care, but if you do, you are clueless. There is not a single soul in America who cannot get health care as needed, and to say otherwise is to repeat Obama’s, and the Democrats’ lie. That is unmitigated horse-hockey!
I am not trying to convince you that the Bammster is a socialist. If you refuse to see it, there is nothing I can say to persuade you otherwise. But on the topic, would you show me where, ONCE in the Constitution, the gummint is supposed to extend benefits to citizens? Don’t waste your time—you won’t find it. Do a Google on Davy Crockett and the rather painful Constitutional lesson he had to learn.
As the the cancellation of physics classes, well, hell, man, what do you expect? Public schools are gummint schools. What gummint gives, gummint takes away. All depends on whether good citizens ante up their tax dollars. THe Washington DC voucher system was a smashing success till the Bammster and Congress killed it. Me–my boys went to parochial schools–because I did not want Thomas Dewey and his ilk or mental descendants pretending to educate my children. And Dude, I still paid my horrendous property taxes to support the Dewey School System, but I jerked the tuition to make sure my sons were properly educated out of the rest of my cash, because I was not raising men who would learn to suck the gummint tit and bitch if they didn’t get enough of a handout from those flippers in DC who get elected—DEMS and GOP—based on how much of other peoples’ tax money they can steer to their own districts (earmarks).
Obama and the banks??? Oh, My!! You cannot be serious on that one! You just cannot. Bern and Tim and the Bammster?? O’ c’mon, give credulity a try!
Arguing about lib versus conservative—I have never been in that argument. I am a free man arguing against clueless souls who imagine, contrary to the own Declaration of Independence and Constitution, that their personal welfare is dependent upon gummint. God Almighty, man go study history. You are way smart enough to come to that conclusion!
Keith–the genius of the powers-that-be is not getting us to argue with each other over our various shades of the political spectrum. It is in getting us to believe that they have–be it gummint or corporations or asshole politicians that they are in charge of us in any way.
You think they do, I know better. I understand “libertas.”
You haven’t examined Obama at all, or you would have to agree that he is a socialist. And if you Google him, you will find him saying so about himself.
Welpers, I am off to see the real ruler of matters.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. jb Peace
keithosaunders said
Wait a minute….did I just read you defacto call Bush a war criminal? That actually makes this entire thread worth it for me. OK. I’ll admit Obama is a war criminal. I want us out of Afghanistan and Iraq, and dread a war with North Korea. I told you in my previous reply that I was not entirely happy with Obama.
Amazingly, given multiple chances, you still haven’t given me concrete examples of Obama’s being a Marxist. I’ll guess it’s the health care.
Once again let’s end things by agreeing to disagree. Have a great Thanksgiving! (go Jets!)
jbiii said
Keith—
Agree to diagree—that is the nature of America, and the one reason we are still around, despite gummint 😉 And enjoy your thanksgiving with you and yours, too, my friend!
As to “war criminal” . . . every Prez since Roosevelt are war criminals, since they took from Congress what belongs to Congress alone:
Article I; Section 8 (in part)
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress . . .
The War Powers Act is not a Constitutional Amendment, hence, it has no legal standing whatsoever.
As to North Korea—if we strike, they are toast in 20 minutes, and China is in no way prepared to take us head on yet.
As to the Bammster being a Marxist . . . I am not supplying you with the information you need to learn for YOURSELF. AS Jesus said—“Go and learn what this means.” Dude, I do not think you have examined the Bammster at all, you did NOT respond to my jibe about Gramsci (which should have been a major clue), and in my longer post below, I actually did lay matters out.
You have some studying to do, but tomorrow, watch the games, treat your family and your stomach to the bounties of our still great country, and get a nap.
We can argue later. Peace. 🙂 jb
keithosaunders said
What is this with ‘gummit?’ Is this a way of goading me into calling you a redneck so that you can counter with marxist elite? For that matter I ask you to define Marxism. We are not even close to being communist or socialist. We couldn’t even get a damn public option, for crying out loud!
We actually do have some common ground, you and I. We are both outraged over rights abuse at the TSA, and yes, the government.
We are also both disappointed in Obama. I believe that he has bent over backwards to compromise with Republicans, thus either diluting or killing any meaningful legislation, such as health care and bank regulation. Furthermore he has been very weak on civil rights.
jb said
Keith–
If you read my site at all, I have always called government “gummint.” It is an intentional bastardization of the word, as present-day government is a bastardization of what our Founders and the Constitution demand of government as SERVANT of the people, not master. If that makes me a redneck, so be it, although degrees in history, political science, and theology might indicate that I somewhat understand satire when it comes to gummint.
Be that as it may—as to socialism/marxism/communism . . . that the elements and actions are so widespread and institutionalized that folks actually have to ask—where is it?—makes Gramsci a prophet par excellence.
We do have common ground in regard to outrage at gummint’s most egregious actions. But unlike you, I do not place an iota’s worth of hope on anything useful coming from gummint. Most of lemmings called voters habitually believe that if they just elect the right guy or gal this next time, why, the whole world will revert to absolute normalcy and all will be well.
Gummint always promises its version of utopia, and fails so miserably that people cannot believe it failed so miserably, so they give gummint another chance. The merry-go-round has been dizzying, but Americans have learned to live with vertigo.
The American Experiment was designed with one focus—liberty. Unfettered liberty for the individual, and government elected to DO THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. Anything less than that is either recidivism, or a decline into tyranny. Said tyranny has manifested itself, leastwise since the French Revolution and the “supposed” Enlightenment, as socialism. Marx and Engels ran with that idea and as history shows, developed their two-headed schematic pitting the proletariat over against the bourgeoisie, with gummint as the answer. Lenin and his bunch tried one version in Russia, Hitler and Mussolini tried another version in Europe, and Mao ran with the same ball in China. Besides all of them being such sparkling examples of freeing the supposed captives (Yeah!), they relied on one common theme to enforce their rule OVER the people they purported to help . . .
Gummint.
So you see, I am hardly a redneck, though some o’ those good ole boys heah in Texas and Gahrgia and all do understand matters a whole lot better than most think. They know they are free, and the only, and usual obstascle to freedom, is . . .
There’s that word again . . . Gummint.
And do your homework—the Bammster’s resume is chock full of the socialist, marxist touch points, and all of his plans smack of the same stuff. Transfer of wealth, with gummint’s hand in the middle, taking an ever-greater cut each time. There was a time when such nonsense was simply called what it is—stealing—but as it became easier for Americans to accept gummint hand-outs for free without questioning from whence they came, the transfer of wealth became ennobled under grand titles like SS and Medicare and Medicaid and Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac and the myriad of gummint agencies, all of which, like gummint, are not merely broke, but so far in the red that the debt will never be paid.
And as we learned today, even Communists (China) and not-yet-fully-converted-from Communists (Russia), know to move away from wealth transfer gone mad (the dollar).
That’s kinda my short answer. I don’t aim to goad or piss off anyone, but I am still somewhat innocent enough to be amazed when Americans don’t seem to understand how prolifically, yet subtlety, their freedoms have or are evaporating right before their eyes. I’d like to think under the bogus political or philosophical labels we seem intent on placing upon ourselves, we would strive first for personal freedom and responsibility. Gummint does none of that.
But I do. 🙂 Peace jb
Ravenation, L.L.C. of North America said
Keith O,
I’m a little bit on the fence about this one. I’ve suffered panic and anxiety attacks caused by travel my entire life. I can’t drive for more than an hour and I’ve had a heart attack while driving before which was one of the most horrifying experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life. However, I have no problem flying whatsoever.
Everytime I have flown, whoever searches me seems to have a real serious interest in what’s going on in my crotch region. It’s rough because you can’t punch them…and it’s an airport so I’m sure the punishment would be even worse because of that fact.
Good luck on lunch with John Elway.
Meehan
keithosaunders said
I’ve pretty much made the decision never to fly unless absolutely necessaray. You would think the airlines or the airports would give you some perc just to lesson the indignity but they don’t. They just say “take it and like it.” Fuck them.