New airport body scanners on cutting block

[KeepItReal]

House Republicans controlling the Transportation Security Administration's purse strings are moving to cut off new funding for those advanced airport scanners that have sparked outrage over their revealing images of travelers' bodies.

Draft legislation released Thursday by the Appropriations homeland security subcommittee denies the Obama administration's $76 million request for an additional 275 of the scanners, which many travelers dislike because TSA employees can view full body images of travelers.

The GOP move wouldn't affect the 500 or so machines already in place at 78 of the nation's airports or the 500 just funded in a recent spending bill. Efforts are under way to solve the privacy concerns with new computer software. TSA currently gives passengers the option of a pat down in private — a choice that most people find even more intrusive.

...

"They're a nuisance. They're slow. And they're ineffective," said Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a longtime critic, adding that the machines aren't not used to screen visitors to high-profile targets like the White House or the Capitol. The bottom line is that ... they're just not as effective as a good ol' German Shepherd."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43013855/ns/travel-news/

[Demeter]

1. Well! It's Better Than the Rapture!

Reason returns to the GOP.

[bemildred]

2. Airport scanners: a stupid idea badly carried out. nt

[PDJane]

3. They were theatre from the git go.

And the german shepherds are easier to deal with.

[Lars39]

4. Theatre *and* money makers.

It's always at least a two-fer with anyone remotely connected with Bushco.

[Gormy Cuss]

6. The GOP brought this in, and now the GOP is the party acting on funding.

Too bad the DEMOCRATS didn't seize this opportunity to end this failed experiment.

Meanwhile there are 1000 of this overpriced intrusive machines that will still be used and Chertoff and other cronies have become very rich off of this boondoggle.

[KeepItReal]

8. +1

Word.

[NeedleCast]

5. Broken Clock...and all that

[peacetalksforall]

7. How could they do that to Michael Chertoff, their friend? Is this a close

enough connection?

Body Scanners and Conflict of Interest

"Michael Chertoff has been an advocate of enhanced technologies, such as full body scanners, that reduce security vulnerabilities and enhance detection capabilities for those threats not easily detected by metal detectors.<21> Rapiscan Systems, a manufacturer of this technology, was a client of his security consulting firm, the Chertoff Group."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Chertoff

Here is more: Excerpts:
"Michael Chertoff, Former Department of Homeland Security, is the head of the Chertoff Group, the lead cheerleader for what is being called the Full Body Scanner Lobby, reports the Washington Post and the Washington Examiner."

"Rapiscan has already sold 150 full body scanners to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), with a price tag of $25 million. Rapiscan full body scanners, like the Rapiscan WaveScan 200, seem to be the preferred scanner of choice because they obscure the "private parts."

But the fully body scanner lobby is also littered with a number of companies vying for the $300 million dollars the government has set aside for this type of technology for airports.
The Washington Examiner has a list of other full body scanner lobbyists including another heavy weight, Tom Blank, with the lobby group Wexler & Walker(pdf) - A lobby group that represents American Science and Engineering (AS&E) another full body scanner manufacturer.Blank was the former Deputy Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration - essentially Blank is lobbying the same federal department where he was boss.
Lost in the hysteria surrounding full body scanners are two fundamental questions Are they effective? and are they worth the cost?

Continue reading at NowPublic.com: Full Body Scanner Lobby: Michael Chertoff & Rapiscan | NowPublic News Coverage http://www.nowpublic.com/world/full-body-scanner-lobby-michael-chertoff-rapiscan-2552674.html#ixzz1MoYCkHNN"

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/full-body-scanner-lobby-michael-chertoff-rapiscan-2552674.html