Body scanner CEO accompanied Obama to India

[avaistheone1]

The CEO of one of the two companies licensed to sell full body scanners to the TSA accompanied President Barack Obama to India earlier this month, a clear sign of the deep ties between Washington politicians and the companies pushing to have body scanners installed at all US airports.

Deepak Chopra, chairman and CEO of OSI Systems and no relation to the New Age spiritualist, was one of a number of CEOs who traveled with the president on his three-day trip to India, which focused primarily on expanding business ties between the US and the emerging Asian power.

"I am honored to be selected to play a role in this very important cause," Chopra said in a statement ahead of the trip. "Currently the trade between US and India is only one tenth of the amount of trade between US and China. There is substantial opportunity to improve the trade relations with India for mutual economic gain."

Chopra's company manufactures the Rapiscan brand of body scanners, currently being deployed across US airports. He joined the CEOs of such companies as GE, PepsiCo and United Technologies on the trip.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/11/body-scanner-ceo-obama-india/





No wonder Obama supports the scanners and pat-downs. "The fix was already in."

[hlthe2b]

1. Gee, I never thought I'd feel sorry for the "real" Deepak Chopra

What an unfortunate coincidence for the "new age" guy.


And yes, I am suitably outraged at the fact that this close relationship suggests the administration has been coopted by these profiteers.

[Gin]

15. when I read his name I thought WTH??????

[truedelphi]

21. Those of us who knew in Dec 2008 who Rahm was, and who Geithner was,

Tried to explain it for the rest of humanity.

But we were told we were racists, even though we had voted for the man.

And we were told to give him time, or to quit insisting on a pony.

When we complained about his Monsanto appointments, we were told that maybe no one had explained to him the exact connection between Monsanto and Famine, Moldy food, price fixing, destroying small farmers et al.

Huh!?! on that one. I mean, after twenty years of hanging out with organic farmers, Michelle Obama is the only self proclaimed organic enthusiast I know of who literally beds down with a guy who is in bed, figuratively, with Monsanto. That shows us how it is all about window dressing from the Obamas.

If she was really all that "organic" he'd be sleeping on the couch.

But fingers are crossed that a big change will come to politics soon. Grayson and Feingold could run in 2012.

[hlthe2b]

23. Denial is a very strong predictor of behavior...

I have not given up on Obama by any means--I mean what the hell is the alternative. But, I am increasingly so disillusioned that I can only hope that something/somehow gets through to him. God, it is so discouraging--devastatingly frustrating.

[Mimosa]

37. I feel the same, hithe2b. Sad, isn't it? n/t

[Autumn]

35. From your mouth to

Gods ears. My fingers are crossed too.

[Lucian]

2. The fix was in in Washington when the Supreme Court allowed...

corporations to be legal persons.

[avaistheone1]

3. Sure has opened up the floodgates

for corporations like Rapescan to do their dirty work on the American flying public.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

30. Dirty work has been done to the American flying public for years.

[Phx_Dem]

46. People are completely overreacting about this. Very few people even

get selected for a pat down. If they don't like, take a fucking bus or train because I don't want to be blown up because someone couldn't handle a "over the clothes" pat down.

I haven't even heard more than a couple actual complaints. Most of the bitching is coming from the media and people who are outraged, but haven't actually had to undergo a pat down.

This is nothing more than media fued bullshit. Again, if you don't like, don't fly.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

4. Always follow the money.

[KoKo]

39. Was Obama trying to Create Jobs with Chertoff Scanners in India, So. Korea, Indonesia with this trip

then? :shrug: Good Jobs those MIC ones ...especially when folks like Chertoff and probably other shady Bush II Amin's people are now out there PUSHING with their "Inside Knowledge" and ties into the Obama Administration through the "staying power" of 8 years of Bush Appointees.

[ProSense]

5. Oooh, scandal

An Indian-American is among 200 CEOs who joined the President on a trip to India to promote business. Something must be up.

Why on earth would this have anything to do with the TSA outrage?

[jefferson_dem]

8. Wonder if this Indian-American delivered a message from "Reverend Wright" while he was ...

in the proximity of POTUS. :scared:

[avaistheone1]

10. No scandal, it is the new norm

with this admin. Selling out Americans for a few lousy bucks.

"Airport security has always been compromised by corporate interests," wrote James Ridgeway at Mother Jones. "When it comes to high-tech screening methods, the TSA has a dismal record of enriching private corporations with failed technologies, and there are signs that the latest miracle device may just bring more of the same."

[jefferson_dem]

13. ALERT: MoJones editorialist says airport security costs money and says there may...

be money involved in providing security under this administration. Perhaps. Maybe.

[ProSense]

26. This has nothing to do with the TSA.

Explain what this CEO accompanying the President on a trip to India has to do with the latest outrage.

[displacedvermoter]

47. It's Poutrage...

don't you know!!!

[golfguru]

27. Duh... his company makes the scanners TSA prefers

Only a couple of outfits are licensed by the TSA.
Chopra's outfit amongst them.

[ProSense]

31. So?

What does that have to do with being among 200 CEOs to travel to India?

You said, "Duh."

Explain the brilliance of the logic that I'm failing to grasp.

[golfguru]

41. You said "Why would this have anything to do with the TSA outrage?

Chopra's machines are almost exclusively used by TSA.
Chopra was chosen to fly with the privileged party of 200 with the president.
The president sees nothing wrong with radiating you with Chopra's machines.

Can you see any logic here?

[ProSense]

43. No

I see a bunch of unrelated facts strung together to draw an unrelated conclusion.

Chopra went to India with the President, therefore the President's response to the TSA is related to a trip to India.

Do you think his response would have been any different prior to the trip?

TSA – All Obama’s Fault and the Free Market Will Fix It

by mistermix

Weigel has the backstory of how Republicans suddenly got in touch with their rage over the TSA as soon as the Obama administration took over, calling it a ” lagging reaction to the fact that Republicans no longer have to toe the party line on homeland security.” Adam Serwer enlarges on the same theme, making this key point:

But conservatives bear a lot of blame for their current predicament. This comprehensive assault on individual freedom didn’t occur in a vacuum; it occurred because conservatives were successful in frightening Americans into choosing security over liberty every time the choice was before them, and because America’s elected officials take being blamed for a terrorist attack more seriously than their oath to protect the Constitution. While the scanners have been in development for years, their deployment was rapidly accelerated in the aftermath of last year’s attempted underwear bombing, as the TSA became even more concerned about the threat of nonmetallic objects. Conservatives must now face the Frankenstein they created by breathlessly hyping the threat of terrorism for political gain: A recent CBS poll found that 81 percent of Americans support the new machines.

That last sentence is laughably naive. Conservatives will not have to “face the Frankenstein they created” because they’ve already convinced themselves that this is all Obama’s fault. Obama’s contractually obligated defenses of the TSA don’t help, because acknowledging “frustration” doesn’t address the real anger people feel when hearing stories of bladder cancer patients who exit TSA pat-downs covered in their own urine.

Conservatives will face this Frankenstein by pushing out the TSA and hiring private contractors to do the same work, even though the contractors will have to hew to the same standards as the TSA. And, they’ll embrace the following option, proposed by Weigel as a clarifying hypothetical, with gusto:

What if we were being honest about this, and proposed this option: “The TSA will end pat-downs and let you keep your shoes on and your bottles of water intact, but it will single out every Muslim who attempts to get on a plane for special screening.”

[KoKo]

40. So...who does the "Indian-American" work for? And it doesn't bother you that 200 CEO's were

travelling with Obama on his trip to India? That doesn't bother you at all.

Why? I'd like to hear why you think this is a good thing.

Thanks,
KoKo

[polichick]

6. Give me a fuckin' break! nt

[jefferson_dem]

7. Raw Story recycling old stories now?

FreeperVille was circulating this nonsense last week - http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2627120/posts Raw Story and DUers follow up with their deep concern today.

[avaistheone1]

16. Do you have a point?

Given:

1. Raw Story is not Freeperville. Raw Story is a progressive/liberal news organization.
   
2. The story is factual.
   
3. This story has not appeared on DU to my knowledge.
   

[jefferson_dem]

17. My points are made throughout this thread.

Yes, this (non)-story was posted on DU a week ago. Sorry.

Try again perhaps?

[avaistheone1]

20. Why does this story bother you?

Do the president's connections to this technology both you?

Does it seem a bit disingenuous to you that a President who on one side of his mouth says there is nothing we can do about the porno scanners and pat-downs invading our lives on the most personal of levels, and yet who are the other side of his mouth was on a essentially a trade mission to promote the scanners?

[jefferson_dem]

24. I'm afraid you are mistaken.

This story doesn't bother me. Quite the contrary. Seems it's bothering you.

Personally, I prefer political criticisms be legitimate and ... hopefully ... constructive. And I do question the motivation of many who are pushing this TSA issue, especially when they parrot idiotic right wing talking points.

Where did Obama say "there's nothing we can do about the (porno) scanners" <sic>? I heard him say the exact opposite -- that they are constantly evaluating the policy and looking for the proper balance.

[druidity33]

36. yeah, but...

in the meantime, he's telling us to STFU and get in the machine!

:eyes:

BTW, "constantly evaluating the policy" has the ring of, "we'll have a commission that will give a non-binding recommendation and it will take 5 years."

People won't object to the removal of their civil rights until it starts to affect them personally. In this instance, it has been... and they're pissed off. This "TSA issue" won't go away until the pat-downs and the machines do. I'm not sure Obama can unilaterally decide what'll happen, but defending the policy is wrong, and eventually he'll have to stand up and say it will stop.

:shrug:

[hlthe2b]

25. I don't doubt the RW is circulating this stuff...

But in all sincerity, please tell me why it shouldn't bother me. This is the first time I have seen the story.

Is it untrue? Is there justification for the development of such a apparently close relationship? (and yes, I can imagine reasons for them traveling together, but......) What are we missing?

[jefferson_dem]

28. I understand that some are legitimately critical of the policy.

Frankly, it does seem a bit heavy-handed at first blush. BUT...i'm do not buy into the wild-eyed hyperbole and conjecture some are running with. The story in the OP is one such example.

[hlthe2b]

33. That said... what is the truth about the article?

I am sincerely asking as I do not know.

[jefferson_dem]

34. Who knows? In my opinion, it says alot ...

of nothing. Truth? Meh.

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. groan

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. When do the impeachment hearings start?

This is HUGH!!?!!

[golfguru]

29. No impeachment necessary..just shine the light /nt

[Phx_Dem]

12. The fix is in?

To do what, keep U.S. airlines free of explosives? Good.

[jefferson_dem]

14. I can't believe corporations don't just provide airline security for free.

Or the "terrists" just concede so we won't have to enlist corporations in the first place.

[avaistheone1]

18. FAIL

The scanners and pat-downs do not protect our security. They do not detect explosives. It's all theater.

BAD.

[jefferson_dem]

19. Oh my! Is that a Muslim TSA employee?!

Do you want your 'merca back?

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS356US356&q=drudge+nun+picture

[BeyondGeography]

22. Alternative headline: Indian CEO accompanied Obama to India

[w4rma]

32. Bad. (nt)

[KoKo]

38. Actually it was reported here on DU...but Post dropped like a Stone...

So..some DU'ers were aware of this...but there was nowhere to go with it if no one cared.

Thanks for the Post. K&R!~

[timo]

42. hahahahahahahah

hell ya, getting some of that cheeese back!!!! thats AWESOME!!!!!

[ProSense]

44. "the full-body scanners in 2007, installed them more widely starting last year "

The T.S.A., which screens about two million air passengers a day, began testing the full-body scanners in 2007, installed them more widely starting last year and accelerated their use after the failed plot last Christmas. If a screener spots something suspicious on a scan, which shows an outline of the unclothed body, or if a passenger prefers to skip the scan, the passenger must undergo a physical search that many passengers have found intrusive.

The furor began after Nov. 1, when the agency introduced the more aggressive pat-down procedure. Despite the storm of criticism from passengers, pilots and members of Congress, agency officials point to opinion polls showing that about 80 percent of the public supports the use of body scanners. About 1 percent of passengers have opted out of the scanner and undergone pat-downs so far this month, officials said.

link

[fujiyama]

45. Makes sense that he'd be there to market it

India's a growing market for anything security related. It faces major threats and there's a lot of fear of terrorism. There's also a lot more people that can afford air travel there now so airports are increasingly congested.

There's really nothing particularly surprising...