

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul refuses TSA pat-down, turned away from airport - bconway
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/23/politics/rand-paul-tsa/index.html

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param
I was under the impression that once you begin the security screening process,
if you attempt to leave before the screening is complete, you can be arrested.

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shareme
by Who? TSA guards do not have arrest powers..only police do and air marshals

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burgerbrain
I'm under the impression that the TSA will call the police in such an event.
Probably reporting you for "making a disturbance" or some nonsense, who knows.

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rdl
Will they forcibly detain you?

(I can see a valid security argument for not letting people do test runs
against the security system without consequence, but it's probably not a
bigger benefit than the civil liberties lost in doing searches.)

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burgerbrain
I don't know.

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rdl
One of the bad things about the TSA is that government officials with a
security detail (cabinet members, congressional leadership) are allowed to
bypass security. Their security details should be allowed to bypass security,
perhaps, if they're authenticated law enforcement (usually US Marshals or
attached to specific agencies e.g. FBI for the FBI Director), but the
principals should go through exactly the same screening, including before
flights on government aircraft. IMO this should apply to the President as well
(conducted in some kind of secure environment, sure, but just as invasive) --
only by keeping the issue of invasive airport screening something personally
relevant to those in power will they have any reason to limit it.

Same goes for any other perks government people get in the name of "security"
-- entry/exit to the US should require waiting in lines and putting up with
random ICE officers, etc.

([http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/2010-11-23-tsa-
politician...](http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/2010-11-23-tsa-politicians-
security_N.htm))

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Mordor
Obviously an al-Qaeda recruit. TSA just like a Borg with an empty brain.

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pan69
I don't mean this to be insulting to anyone, but, isn't it often the case that
these types of security guards are not the highest educated? I don't mean to
say that they're are stupid, I think it has more to do with empowerment than
intellect. Higher educated people are usually high-achievers and because of it
they have a natural sense of being on control of their lives and therefore
feel empowered.

For many of the TSA workers its the first time in their lives that they are in
a position of power and they will quickly abuse it, especially when group
pressure comes into play. It's like the bus driver syndrome.

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Mordor
Yeah, a bus driver with no bus lol

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jemka
So he "hacked" the system? No? ... Oh, he was the first to do this then? No?
... Hmm, Oh wait, his dad is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party
presidential nomination? So it's an advertisement.

Why is this on the front page?

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kls
I think it is more the irony that Rand has been an outspoken critic of the
practice, than it does that his dad is running for president. Rand has
probably been more outspoken on the TSA than his father.

 _Why is this on the front page?_

I think that is the more important question, it's politics and politics does
not make for health discussion in an environment like HN that want's to
promote health discussion.

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angdis
How is a TSA employee supposed to know if "Rand Paul" is a senator or some
random nut (or both)?

For the TSA grunt, it was just another asshole who is making his life
miserable. For Rand Paul, it was a publicity stunt designed to raise folksy
indignation amongst tea baggers.

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aeeeee
Whether or not you agree with Rand Paul if you are for civil liberties,
privacy, and tired of the nanny state then this episode is a good thing.
Anything that casts the TSA in a bad light or gives media attention to these
areas of concern are OK in my book.

