Higher pay, same incompetence

Every time you think privatization is a good idea, the government does something to change your mind.

After all the hoo-hah over airport security since the 9/11 attack -- with public expectations that federal controls would give us better-educated, qualified and motivated airport screeners -- the Department of Transportation has decided not to impose regulations that would cut loose the guards currently in place.

They still won't need a high-school diploma. They still won't have to be able to recognize the outline of a weapon in an X-ray scan of luggage, or speak a language recognizable to passengers.

Essentially, we're going to give the same inadequate airport screeners higher pay, more benefits and the added incentive of federal job security.

If Osama bin Laden were a federal employee, we'd still be figuring out how to get him fired, let alone placed in custody.

Burl Burlingame

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