If You Fly, Watch Your Ipad

[Dave70968]

Why is this happening!?!?!?!

Oh yeah, the government is following the corporate business model of slapping massive/intrusive regulations on an agency and then proceeding with massive budget-cuts taking everything to the bare bone while at the same time running off all of the good employees and getting cheaper folks to come in.

I don't consider going from $8.1 billion to $7.6 billion next year to be a massive budget cut...especially in light of all of the gear they've ordered and have just sitting in warehouses. From last year to this year, it was stable at about $8.1 billion; FY2010 was $7.8 billion, so it appears to have been increasing, not running at "the bare bone."

Please tell me you don't honestly believe that having government throw more money at the problem is the solution.

 

[ez bake]

I don't consider going from $8.1 billion to $7.6 billion next year to be a massive budget cut...especially in light of all of the gear they've ordered and have just sitting in warehouses. From last year to this year, it was stable at about $8.1 billion; FY2010 was $7.8 billion, so it appears to have been increasing, not running at "the bare bone."

Please tell me you don't honestly believe that having government throw more money at the problem is the solution.

I don't personally think the government should be there in the first place, but when you look at how TSA has expanded vs the budget cuts, then tell me how paying less ever ends up in higher quality people/service/products? They could obviously be spending their money more efficiently (perhaps that's the biggest part of the problem is their fraud/waste/abuse isn't being put in check), but the bottom-line is that if you truly wanted a TSA that worked properly, you have to hire people at proper wages, train them properly, and equip them properly. If they have enough money for that and aren't spending it correctly, then the government is still at fault (be it "the government" mothership, or TSA's leadership within that particular government agency).

They've cut the salaries down to near-minimum-wage for employees - I don't know about you, but when looking for work and having "Cook at Sonic Drive-in" or "TSA Agent" in the same ball-park for wages, you're probably not going to get the highest quality folks out there.

 

[Dave70968]

I don't personally think the government should be there in the first place, but when you look at how TSA has expanded vs the budget cuts, then tell me how paying less ever ends up in higher quality people/service/products? They could obviously be spending their money more efficiently (perhaps that's the biggest part of the problem is their fraud/waste/abuse isn't being put in check), but the bottom-line is that if you truly wanted a TSA that worked properly, you have to hire people at proper wages, train them properly, and equip them properly. If they have enough money for that and aren't spending it correctly, then the government is still at fault (be it "the government" mothership, or TSA's leadership within that particular government agency).

They've cut the salaries down to near-minimum-wage for employees - I don't know about you, but when looking for work and having "Cook at Sonic Drive-in" or "TSA Agent" in the same ball-park for wages, you're probably not going to get the highest quality folks out there.

Translation: when you implement a government "solution," you get a government outcome.

 

[Hobbes]

It's not just TSA employees, it's airline employees too so let's not start kicking our favorite dog just cause he's our favorite and he's within kicking distance.

 

[ez bake]

Translation: when you implement a government "solution," you get a government outcome.

Agreed man, but sadly, its no different than a Church outcome, School outcome, Corporate Business outcome, etc... anymore as long as people think "Budget" equates to "blank check to mis-manage money" and there's little to no actual punishment for said crimes.

 

[Glocktogo]

I don't consider going from $8.1 billion to $7.6 billion next year to be a massive budget cut...especially in light of all of the gear they've ordered and have just sitting in warehouses. From last year to this year, it was stable at about $8.1 billion; FY2010 was $7.8 billion, so it appears to have been increasing, not running at "the bare bone."

Please tell me you don't honestly believe that having government throw more money at the problem is the solution.

I'll not sit here and defend the indefensible, but the budget cuts are not the issue. The issue is a culture of tech over people, a complete and utter lack of leadership, coupled with a near constant and unrelenting downgrade of staffing, opportunities and advancement. Training is cookie cutter and designed to check boxes, rather than enhance capabilities.

The lack of leadership wouldn't be quite so pathetic if management priorities and practices were decent. They're not even close.