
Can I give TSA workers cash, gift cards or food? - evo_9
https://www.kgw.com/mobile/article/news/local/verify/verify-can-i-give-tsa-workers-cash-gift-cards-or-food/283-c5c5c330-bbda-459b-a91e-37e8c9da22e1
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x220
Why bother? The TSA hasn't demonstrated that it does more good than bad (they
don't catch terrorists; they've been caught stealing). I don't pay people who
don't do a useful service for me.

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eesmith
While the TSA doesn't do more good than bad, if all the non-paid TSA workers
leave tomorrow, the airports aren't suddenly going to stop carrying out
inspections and simply let everyone walk onto the planes.

That is, the service that TSA staff do, right now, is to let people continue
to be able to fly, without (say) 5 hour lines.

So if you are a person who does fly regularly, then you may think that it's
worthwhile to contribute something so you can keep that ability.

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x220
>the service that TSA staff do, right now, is to let people continue to be
able to fly, without (say) 5 hour lines

No, they create the lines. TSA inspections are useless. Third party
evaluations (government employees trying to sneak weapons past TSA security)
demonstrate that the TSA is entirely incompetent at screening for weapons. If
we just let people board the plans without inspections at all it would not
change the security situation.

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eesmith
Please re-read my comment. I distinguished between two things: 1) the point of
TSA, and 2) the lack of TSA staff under the current regulatory regime.

I agree that TSA inspections are useless. That is point #1.

However, if 50% of TSA staff _right now_ were to leave, then the regulations
won't magically change so that there are no inspections. The result will be
mega-long lines. This is point #2. Or do you think something else will happen?

Thus, if people don't want mega-long lines, it is in their short-term interest
to use alternative mechanisms to keep TSA staff from leaving.

