1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:01,200 Speaker 1: Ronnie, it's good to know. 2 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 2: If I'm in a pitch, I could just scrape some 3 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 2: of the bugs off the front of this truck, throw 4 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 2: them in a pan, little butter, little salt and pepper. 5 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 1: Maybe some garlic salt. I'm good. 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:22,479 Speaker 2: We already know how badly that cab stinks. Can you 7 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 2: imagine him back there with a little you know, he's. 8 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: Got a little little hot what do you call him, 9 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: a little hot plate. 10 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, and he's got some probably not even a decent 11 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 2: you know, extra virgin olive oil, just you know, just 12 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 2: some sort of like crisco or lard or something, and 13 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 2: he puts it in there, and then he puts the 14 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 2: bugs in and he can't find evenly well, who knows 15 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 2: what he uses some for spices. Stuff he's scraped off, 16 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 2: you know, probably just the stuff that you know, you 17 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 2: scrape the bugs off the windshield and the grill. Well 18 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 2: you probably got some you know, other material there. Just 19 00:00:57,760 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 2: pull that in there too. 20 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,279 Speaker 1: And he's probably already done that a time or two. 21 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: That's the scary thing. He probably has. 22 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 2: The news covered a story that I was planning to 23 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 2: do this morning, So I'll just do it now rather 24 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:21,400 Speaker 2: than do it later. The CEO of American Airlines, Robert Eisen, 25 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 2: United Airlines, Scott Kirby, Southwest Airlines, Bob Jordan, Jet Blue, 26 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 2: Joanna Garrity, Alaska Airlines, Ben Minchucci, Delta, Ed Bastian, Plus, Fed, XUPS, 27 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 2: and Atlas Air all signed a joint open letter to 28 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 2: Congress published last week demanding an immediate end of the 29 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 2: twenty nine day shutdown. The letter called and Congress to 30 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 2: pass the Aviation Funding Solvency Act, the Aviation Funding Stability Act, 31 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 2: and the Keep America Flying Act. Those three measures of 32 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 2: a guaranteed federal aviation workers are paid regardless of future shutdowns. 33 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 2: So on paper, yes, American, United, Southwest all quote did something. 34 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 2: But there's a difference between signing a group letter and 35 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 2: someone like Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Airlines, going 36 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 2: on CNBC solo and calling Congress out by name. One 37 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 2: is a trade association press release. The other is a 38 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 2: CEO willing to put his face out there and say 39 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 2: this is wrong. Now, let's go to Scott Kirby, United 40 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 2: Airlines CEO. Now, he did go beyond just signing the letter. 41 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 2: He told reporters that it quote it. He told him 42 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:52,639 Speaker 2: directly it is time to pass a clean continuing resolution, 43 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 2: and he named the Democrats specifically, And then he attended 44 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,799 Speaker 2: a meeting with the Vice President, with the Secondry Transportation, 45 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 2: Sean Duffy, and with American Airlines CeAl Robert isen All, 46 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 2: warning them that the shutdown is hurting the broader economy. 47 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,959 Speaker 2: And separately, Kirby then sent a letter to United employees 48 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 2: warning that jet fuel prices had more than double in 49 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 2: three weeks because of the Iranian conflict, and that that 50 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 2: increase represented an additional eleven billion dollars in annual cost 51 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 2: to American Airlines, and that passengers on American are United, 52 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: and quite frankly, all the airlines, because the costs are 53 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 2: the same for all of them, should expect to feel 54 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 2: that increase. So at least United was fighting on two fronts, 55 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 2: although he didn't really go on CNBC on his own 56 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 2: now American Airlines Robert eisen he fined everything, but he 57 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 2: did not do a Bastion style solo media moment. American 58 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 2: joined United hella in Southwest in pushing Senators to immediately 59 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 2: passingly and contending resolution to reopen the government. Now that's solid, 60 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 2: it's institutional, but it's. 61 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: Not really memorable. 62 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 2: Southwest Airlines their CEO, Bob Jordan, he signed a letter, 63 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,159 Speaker 2: but he didn't say anything particularly notable. That appears to 64 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 2: be the extent of it. No viral moments, no solo 65 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,919 Speaker 2: cable appearance. Has just signed the letter. Chris Sanoon, former 66 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 2: governor of New Hampshire. No, yeah, I think he's the 67 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:34,479 Speaker 2: head of the industry trade group Airlines for America. He 68 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 2: said America's Transportation Security workforce is too important to be 69 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 2: used as political leverage, and then he called out DHS directly. 70 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 2: When TSA prechecked was briefly threatened with a suspension. He 71 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 2: said that the announcement was issued with extremely short notice 72 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 2: to travelers, giving them little time to plan accordingly. So 73 00:04:56,279 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 2: the industry is unified in words, But Delta Ambastion were 74 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:06,359 Speaker 2: distinct even action. The closure of and I'll get to 75 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 2: this man more details just a second. But Delta closing 76 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 2: their private checkpoints at both LAX and JFK, plus the 77 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 2: sole CNBC appearance and the pointed language showed that Delta 78 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 2: was willing to step up and go a little further 79 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 2: than the other weasels were the other carriers, well, they 80 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 2: were kind of passengers on Delta's flight, so to speak. 81 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 2: They showed up for the group photo, but the AMBASTIONI 82 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 2: at Delta was the one who actually called Congress out 83 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 2: by name and told them to do their freaking jobs. 84 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 2: That's the difference between a press release and actually making 85 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 2: a closing argument. There's a particular I would call a 86 00:05:52,680 --> 00:06:00,040 Speaker 2: species of arrogance, a particular species of Washington arrogance. It 87 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 2: reveals itself most nakedly in moments of genuine crisis. You 88 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 2: won't find it in a floor speech in either the 89 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 2: House of the Senate. You won't find it in these 90 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 2: stupid press releases that these yahoos send out. But you'll 91 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 2: find it in small telling gestures. I want you to 92 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 2: think about whether the line is short or not. Now 93 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 2: I'm guilty of this, and I'll explain why I'm guilty. 94 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 2: Let me explain why I'm well, let me tell you 95 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:34,280 Speaker 2: first what it is, and I'll tell you why I'm 96 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 2: guilty of it. The telling gesture that I'm referring to 97 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 2: is walking past a three hours worth of ordinary Americans 98 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 2: waiting in a TSA security line, flashing your congressional lapel pin, 99 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:58,279 Speaker 2: and proceeding directly to the front. That is precisely what 100 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 2: has been happening at airports or across the entire United States. 101 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 2: While Transportation Security Administration officers will call them agents, they're 102 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 2: not officer. They have no law enforcement ability whatsoever, while 103 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 2: they were showing up to work without a paycheck. Now, 104 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 2: I want to be precise about what's going on because 105 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 2: the facts make the outrage even sharper. The current partial 106 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 2: government shut down that affects only the Department of Home 107 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 2: Land Security. That's it, just DHS. Democrats in Congress refused 108 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 2: to fund the department completely over objections to immigration enforcement. 109 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: Tactics, primarily because they're. 110 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:47,119 Speaker 2: Still bitching and moaning about the fatal shootings of Alex 111 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 2: Pretty and Renee Good in Minneapolis. So Congressional Democrats have 112 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 2: decided that DHS won't get an additional dime until new 113 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 2: restrictions are placed on NICE. So they held the entire 114 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 2: department hostage, which means they held the TSA hostage, which 115 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 2: means they held fifty thousand security workers hostage. 116 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: Those workers are. 117 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 2: Required to keep working without pay and will only receive 118 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 2: back pay once funding is restored, and the result employees 119 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 2: dealing with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions mptry refrigerators or drawn 120 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 2: bank accounts while they waved through the security line, the 121 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 2: very people who created the problem that all those other 122 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 2: people are standing in line waiting to get through. Now, 123 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 2: I've been guilty of that myself, but I wasn't withholding 124 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 2: any money. I'm not trying to rationalize here. I'm just 125 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 2: telling you the facts. I never even waved through, so 126 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 2: it's not even like I was taken to the head 127 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:54,679 Speaker 2: of the line. I bypassed the line entirely. Why because 128 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 2: I had a security detail with me by the time 129 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 2: I got to the airport, got out of the car. 130 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 2: The driver stayed in the car, kept the car, but 131 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 2: I got out with two armed security agents. They were 132 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 2: not going to take me through and then have to 133 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 2: show their weapons as any regular long enforce have you 134 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 2: ever seen. I'm not quite sure how the protocol works today, 135 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 2: but if you ever stand and just watch security, you'll 136 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 2: find when maybe there's just a cop going to pick 137 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 2: up a prisoner somewhere, or there might be a US 138 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 2: marshal that's boarding a plane. They go to a separate area, 139 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 2: they take out their weapon, or sometimes they don't. They 140 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:46,680 Speaker 2: will show their credentials. They probably won't get padded down, 141 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 2: but they'll you know, maybe a supervisor will come over 142 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 2: make sure that they indeed are who they say they are. 143 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 2: They might have some orders, you know, some a letter 144 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 2: from the local sheriff that says they're going to pick 145 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,959 Speaker 2: up a prisoner and you know, Poughkeepsie or something, and 146 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 2: they go through that wasn't even me. They would tell 147 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 2: TSA in advance if the Undersecretary is coming through with 148 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 2: a security detail, and I would bypass it entirely. 149 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: Yew was that cool? Damn right? 150 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:21,439 Speaker 2: It was cool. Did it save me a lot of time? 151 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 2: Certainly did. And to make it even worse, I didn't 152 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 2: even board the plane with everybody else. I boarded the 153 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:37,839 Speaker 2: plane by walking down through the not the baggage area, 154 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 2: but the lower level where the gates are. I would 155 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 2: come out where you see the baggage being loaded, and 156 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 2: I would walk up where the pilots walk up and 157 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 2: board the plane that way. And then one was sitting 158 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 2: in front of me and one was sitting back. 159 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: Again. 160 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 2: I freely ad meant it was cool, saved a lot 161 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 2: of time, saved the hassle. But there's a certain arrogance 162 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 2: to that. There's a certain arrogance that says, oh, because 163 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 2: he has a title, because he is a couple of 164 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 2: presidential commissions, we're going to exempt him from everything else. 165 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 2: And I took advantage of it, but I freely admitted 166 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 2: it bothered me. And then of course I meant straight 167 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 2: back to reality the minute that I left federal service, 168 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 2: straight back to setting in line like everybody else. 169 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: That's the arrogance that I'm talking about. 170 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 2: At least three hundred and sixty six Transportation Security employees 171 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,559 Speaker 2: have quit since the start of the recent shutdown. That's 172 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 2: at least according to the DHS, maybe more, maybe less. Now. 173 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 2: On one Wednesday alone, thirty four percent of TSA employees 174 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 2: in Atlanta called out sick. TSA pre check wait times 175 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 2: climbed as high as four to five hours at Hartsfield Jackson, 176 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 2: and Americans for being advice arrived at the airport three four, 177 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 2: maybe even five hours before departure. Spring break March Madness 178 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 2: A Warren I ran driving up oil prices, and the 179 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 2: people responsible for the mess were gliding through security on 180 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 2: their congressional credentials, not because they had a security detail 181 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 2: with them. 182 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:19,719 Speaker 1: Oh. 183 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 2: Now, some you know, Speaker of the House will have 184 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 2: a security detail with him, but Joe Blow, Member of Congress, 185 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 2: Joe Blow, US Senator, will not. They just show their 186 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 2: pen and go on through. And then entered del to 187 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 2: Airline CEO At Bashton, who had the bluntness to say 188 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 2: publicly what most of corporate America only whispers in private. 189 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 2: It's inexcusable that our security people, frontline work are central 190 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 2: to what we do, are not being paid. It's ridiculous 191 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 2: to see them use this political chips. We're outraged. That's 192 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 2: at Bastian Delta. And then he joined the CEOs of American, Southwest, Jet, Blue, Ups, 193 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 2: FedEx Atlas air in an open letter published in The 194 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 2: Washington Post, it's just what now I know still being read, 195 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 2: but not that much. This is insanity, absolute disanity. A 196 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 2: viral video at least forced the conversation that Washington has 197 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 2: successfully avoided for years. There's long been this quiet system 198 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 2: in place that allows members of Congress to receive expedited 199 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 2: screening at certain airports. It was never particularly popular, but 200 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 2: it was also it also wasn't widely discussed. 201 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: Well. 202 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:40,320 Speaker 2: That changed the minute that somebody took a video. The 203 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 2: two I saw was Congresswoman Nancy Mace and Debbie Wasserman 204 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 2: Schultz going through Reagan National being escorted by a TSA 205 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 2: employee who should have been checking other people. 206 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:57,559 Speaker 1: But see. 207 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 2: When Americans saw that and they were facing lines stretched 208 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 2: out for hours, those same lawmakers that wouldn't fund the 209 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 2: people running the checkpoints. Now, to be fair, DHS had 210 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 2: already paused providing courtesy and family police escorts for Members 211 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 2: of Congress at airports after the funding lapsed, but the 212 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 2: escort's suspension was apparently news. Members of Congress still breathing 213 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 2: through left hand is though the right hand's doing so. 214 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 2: John Cornham, of course, John Cornham, because he's running for 215 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 2: re election in Texas, he's facing a stiff runoff election. 216 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 2: He introduced the in Special Treatment for Congress at Airports Act, 217 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 2: which that would require members of Congress to go under 218 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 2: the exact same TSA screening procedures as all other airline passengers, 219 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 2: and it would prohibit the use of federal funds to 220 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 2: provide Members of Congress with any sort of expedited or 221 00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 2: preferential access at airport security checkpoints. No, they should be 222 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 2: above the rules, he says. And the member pen on 223 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 2: your pail should not give your cart blotch to skip 224 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 2: airport screening lines. Well, every day Americans are forced to 225 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 2: wait patiently wait their turn. 226 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: Of course, he says that. 227 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 2: Because the butt heads running for re election now the 228 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 2: Senate actually passed it. Let us think in it took 229 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 2: a government shut shut down, a workforce of fifty thousand 230 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 2: people reporting the jobs that weren't paying them, six hour 231 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 2: security lines, and then a viral video of congressmen bypassing 232 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 2: all of it. Had to have all of that before 233 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 2: the United States Senate. Now, obviously the Senate's passing, but 234 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 2: nothing's happened in the House yet before they got around 235 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 2: to saying yes, maybe congress creators should stand in the 236 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 2: same line as the constituents that they represent. 237 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 1: You think so, I certainly think so. 238 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 2: There's almost something that's kind of like out of a 239 00:15:52,800 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 2: Charles Dickens's novel TSA officers who SCNN reports can afford 240 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 2: cole payments for cancer treatments or office visits for their 241 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 2: sick kids, directing the very lawmakers who defunded them to 242 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 2: the expedited line. If you wrote that scene in a novel, 243 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 2: an editor would probably cut it out for being too 244 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 2: on the nose. But the deeper question here isn't really 245 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 2: about the airport lines. It's about what happens when the 246 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 2: people who write the rules insulate themselves from the consequences 247 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 2: of those rules. When your water isn't clean, you don't 248 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 2: worry much about the water treatment plant. When your security 249 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 2: line is always fast, you don't worry much about the 250 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 2: people staffing it. Congress has spent decades constructing a cocoon 251 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 2: of institutional privilege. Separate dining rooms, separate parking, a separate 252 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 2: healthcare system, separate pensions, and yes, separate security lines. Now 253 00:16:55,280 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 2: why is that important to understand? Because that disconnects them 254 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 2: from the daily grind that they impose on all of us. Now, 255 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 2: that's not a conspiracy, that's just the natural entropy of power. 256 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:15,479 Speaker 2: So add Bastion at Delta and the other airlines to 257 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 2: some degree forced an uncomfortable moment of accountability. Not through legislation, 258 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 2: not through litigation, but through the most clarifying force in 259 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:34,879 Speaker 2: American commerce. Make the problem visible, Make everyone face and 260 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:39,359 Speaker 2: look at the problem. Put it on their TV screens, 261 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,160 Speaker 2: put it on their radio waves, put it in their newspapers, 262 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:49,919 Speaker 2: put it on their cable channels. Make them look at it. 263 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 2: It's pretty sad when you may think that I'm being 264 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 2: a little hyperbole when I talk about the cabal, that 265 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 2: unholy alliance of the tech giants, the dominant media, and 266 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 2: the ruling elite. This is the ruling elite on display. 267 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 1: Now. 268 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 2: Some Poles say that ninety three percent of American support 269 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 2: paying the TSA people, and I don't think that's a 270 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 2: partisan number. That's almost a consensus. Quich in twenty twenty 271 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:27,960 Speaker 2: six is rare than a short or efficient or quick 272 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 2: TSA security check. Congress should probably notice that the one 273 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:37,880 Speaker 2: thing that nearly the entire country agrees on is that 274 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 2: what they're doing to these workers is wrong. So Congress 275 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 2: ought to stand in line, pay their people and do 276 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 2: their job. But whether they will or not is highly doubtful. 277 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:59,400 Speaker 2: Now I want to swerve from that arrogance to now, 278 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 2: let's look at itself. 279 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 1: Michael. 280 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 3: I don't know what you got against insect farming, but 281 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 3: I am one of them, hard working meal worm and 282 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 3: cricket ranchers. I'm running about thirty thousand head each on 283 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 3: four square foot and i'd appreciate it if you did 284 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 3: not bad mouse my stock. 285 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 2: Who's classic. That's pretty thirty thousand head on four square feet. 286 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:27,880 Speaker 2: That's pretty good. That's pretty dang good, right there. Send 287 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:29,680 Speaker 2: us a photo of it, but we'd like to put 288 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 2: that up. By speaking of photos, what was this, y'all? 289 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 2: Whose name? Where's my where's my mail? 290 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 1: App? 291 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:45,120 Speaker 2: Jacob Martinez? Dragon put Jacob Martinez on the Our Beef's List? 292 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 2: Do not call this, yeah, do not call this this. 293 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 2: He sent a picture. We were talking in the first 294 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 2: hour about my I. 295 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 1: Can't help it. I'm speaking. 296 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,200 Speaker 2: I'm animated when I'm talking. 297 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 1: I don't FLOBBERO when I speak. 298 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:05,639 Speaker 2: It's just that when you speak, when you talk to 299 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 2: but you, but you just mumble, so nothing comes out 300 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:15,399 Speaker 2: of your mouth because you're afraid of missus Redbeard. Anyway, 301 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 2: I get, I get this AI generated photo of me 302 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 2: slobbering all over my laptop. 303 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:23,880 Speaker 1: Don't forget the bull off. There was a bull of insects. Yes, yeah, 304 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 1: it wasn't brussel sprouse. It was insects. 305 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 2: By the way, all you on the text line about 306 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 2: brussel sprouts, half of you you're right, half of you 307 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:32,200 Speaker 2: are wrong. 308 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,160 Speaker 1: I want to go split right down the middle, isn't 309 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:35,399 Speaker 1: it though? 310 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 2: It is right? And of course I know which ones 311 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 2: are right, which one's are wrong? 312 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:40,120 Speaker 1: Too? 313 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 2: A couple of text messages caught my eye yesterday, or 314 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 2: maybe it was this morning, I don't remember. Doesn't make 315 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 2: any difference. Six zero eight five rights Michael SFO, that's 316 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:57,440 Speaker 2: San Francisco uses a private security firm for their airport's 317 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 2: security screen. With the current scenario, it will not be 318 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 2: the perfect time to consider private security screening at all airports. 319 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,640 Speaker 2: Certainly the airlines would have a huge stake in passenger satisfaction, 320 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 2: not waiting four hours in line at security for an 321 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 2: hour and a half flight. That just doesn't make any sense. 322 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 2: I've flown through SFO plenty of times and always had 323 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 2: a nice experience. What say you, We'll hang on. Then 324 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 2: there was fifty four to fifty one who wrote this, 325 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 2: shouldn't we support defunding the TSA parentheses and the DHS? 326 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 2: And not sure if it was covered on your show today. 327 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,640 Speaker 2: I'll listen in the hot tub tonight. But why are conservatives? 328 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 2: Why are conservatives raising hell about TSA? These two techs 329 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 2: are a gift. They practically write themselves into a segment 330 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 2: because well, I got so I think I got some 331 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 2: bonafidies here. Let's go to the substance first on SFO 332 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 2: and private screening because the listener's right, and there's a 333 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 2: real program for this. It's called the Screening Partnership Program. 334 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:10,879 Speaker 2: It already exists under federal law. Airports can opt out 335 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:17,920 Speaker 2: of TSA federal screeners and they can use private security contractors. Now, 336 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 2: those private contractors must meet identical TSA standards, they have 337 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 2: to train to TSA protocols, and unfortunately, they have to 338 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 2: operate under TSA oversight. About twenty two airports currently use 339 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 2: it now. San Francisco has been in and essentially since 340 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 2: the TSA's creation. They use a company called Covenant Aviation Security. 341 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 2: Kansas City, Rochester, Jackson Hole others also participate. 342 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: The results. 343 00:22:51,320 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 2: Comparable security outcomes, but generally better customer service metrics, better efficiency. 344 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 2: Why because private companies actually face accountability. Now, if Covenant 345 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:14,360 Speaker 2: Aviation Security is slow or they're rude, the airport could 346 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 2: fire them. We cannot fire a federal TSA officer for 347 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:23,400 Speaker 2: simply being surly or shouting. 348 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:25,199 Speaker 1: Hey three, are you bad? Make three? You got your 349 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 1: shoes off? Make sure you take your bales. I'll do this, 350 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:27,240 Speaker 1: do that. 351 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 2: I guess those second them yelling at people shut up, 352 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:34,960 Speaker 2: and if grandma, if this is grandma's first trip through, 353 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 2: you don't if you yell at grandma, explain to grandma 354 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:40,640 Speaker 2: what she needs to do, help her out. In fact, 355 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 2: quite frankly, if you're the one traveling with grandma, help 356 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:51,720 Speaker 2: grandma get ready to go through. Here's why conservatives like 357 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 2: yours truly objected to TSA. TSA was created in a 358 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:02,879 Speaker 2: fever dream of post nine to eleven panic legislation, the 359 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 2: Aviation and Transportation Security Act sign November two thousand and one, 360 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 2: just weeks after the attack. Huh wow, they can't do 361 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 2: funding over how many days? 362 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:16,679 Speaker 4: Now? 363 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:19,640 Speaker 1: Forty days and forty nine foul whatever it is. 364 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:23,160 Speaker 2: But just weeks after the nine to eleven attacks, somehow 365 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,239 Speaker 2: they were able to come up with the Transportation, the 366 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 2: Aviation and Transportation Security. 367 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 1: Act of two thousand and one. 368 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,880 Speaker 2: The argument conservatives made at the time, and I made 369 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 2: from inside the building was this set federal standards, require 370 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:47,639 Speaker 2: private screeners to meet those standards. Let the airports contract 371 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:50,879 Speaker 2: for that service, because if we do it that way, 372 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 2: we get accountability, efficiency and competition without creating what has 373 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 2: now become a sixty thousand in person federal workforce. That 374 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 2: is nearly impossible to discipline or terminate. Now they can't 375 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:10,199 Speaker 2: go on strike. At least got at least got I 376 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 2: shouldn't say I, but me and others on the transition 377 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 2: team at least got them to agree, Hey, they can't 378 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 2: go on strike. But the labor unions would not let us, 379 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:29,119 Speaker 2: would not let us require Congress to prevent them from organizing. 380 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 2: So what do we get instead? TSA has repeatedly failed 381 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 2: its own undercover red team tests. In twenty fifteen, the 382 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 2: DHS Inspector General tests found TSA missed anywhere from sixty 383 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 2: seven to seventy percent of fake weapons and explosives in 384 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:59,440 Speaker 2: covert testing sixty seven percent. And then we made that 385 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:06,119 Speaker 2: workforce federal employees with civil service protections. The conservative objection 386 00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:12,880 Speaker 2: was never we don't want airport security. The conservative objection 387 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 2: that I and others made is it was a federal 388 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 2: bureaucracy is not inherently better than a well regulated wouldn't 389 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 2: say militia, don't you a well regulated private workforce? And 390 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 2: the TSA has proven that to us repeatedly. These two 391 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:43,160 Speaker 2: texts actually three texts, but two listeners are the same 392 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:47,440 Speaker 2: question from two different directions is something like this. These 393 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:52,160 Speaker 2: two texts are actually one argument, and I've been making 394 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:55,479 Speaker 2: this argument for twenty three years on radio. The listener 395 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 2: asking me about San Francisco is exactly right, and the 396 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:03,439 Speaker 2: listener asking why conservatives object to TSA is about to 397 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 2: find out because I was in that room when TSA 398 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 2: was created, and I thought it was a mistake. Then 399 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 2: let me tell you why and why it matters. Now 400 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:17,119 Speaker 2: here's what the government told you. We federalized airport security 401 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 2: to make you safer, and you what they gave you. 402 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 2: They gave you a sixty thousand federal employee workforce who 403 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:30,160 Speaker 2: are nearly impossible to fire, who have failed undercover weapons 404 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:33,640 Speaker 2: tests at rates that would get a private company shut down. 405 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 2: And who gave you the shoe removal theater that you 406 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 2: endure every time you fly. I'm not sure whether that's 407 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 2: really still an effect or not. I've been at the 408 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 2: airport since former Secretary Christy Nome made that decision. Did 409 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 2: it stick or not? Somebody have to tell me. Meanwhile, 410 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 2: San Francisco Airport, not famously, I mean famously, not a 411 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:56,920 Speaker 2: bastion of conservative thought, has been using a private security 412 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 2: company for more than two decades and passenger safety exp 413 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:00,640 Speaker 2: is better. 414 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:01,159 Speaker 1: Michael. 415 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 4: This whole insects for people food industry thing sounds about 416 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:10,679 Speaker 4: as viable as recycling certain products for which there is 417 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 4: virtually no market. 418 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: Well, we have to recycle. 419 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:18,159 Speaker 4: It's the right thing to do. There's no market for it. 420 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 1: It ain't gonna happen. 421 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:23,680 Speaker 2: It's another example of a feel good policy. So let 422 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:28,720 Speaker 2: me repeat that the conservative objection to TSA is not 423 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 2: anti security, it's pro accountability. I want to screen it 424 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 2: that can be fire if they're incompetent, whether they're slow 425 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 2: or they're rude. I want airports who can switch vendors 426 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 2: if the service is bad. We want competition to drive 427 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 2: the performance. What we have instead is a federal agency 428 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:52,560 Speaker 2: with the Union Civil Service and a sixty seven to 429 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 2: seventy percent failure rate on covert tests. By the way, 430 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 2: that last test was done in twenty fifteen. They followed 431 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 2: on in two seventeen. The numbers did not improve. Interestingly, 432 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 2: I couldn't find any current numbers. Oh maybe we don't 433 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 2: want to know. 434 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: Now. The point that you've got to understand. 435 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 2: The screening Partnership program that says if Denver International Airport 436 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 2: does not want to use TSA. 437 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 1: They don't have to. 438 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 2: They could contract out with a private firm to do 439 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:35,680 Speaker 2: all of that screening ATDIA. The question is, in fact, 440 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 2: the question is not whether the private screening can work, 441 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 2: because we know from the other airports twenty two airports 442 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 2: to do it. So the real question is this, why 443 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 2: are more airports doing it? Why? And I would say 444 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 2: to all of the legacy CEOs of the airline, the 445 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 2: legacy airline CEOs and for that matter, to Atlas Air 446 00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 2: and UPS and Fedection all the others, why aren't you 447 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,960 Speaker 2: demanding it too? Why aren't Why aren't you? And I 448 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:07,960 Speaker 2: know that you know for the for the FedEx and 449 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 2: UPS doesn't affect them necessarily all of their well, I 450 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:13,560 Speaker 2: don't know whether it's at an FBO whether they have 451 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 2: feels through security or not, or there's TSA to an 452 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 2: FBO that fed X uses. 453 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: I don't know. 454 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 2: Somebody tell me, But for all the legacy airlines, don't 455 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 2: you want your passengers to get onto the into the 456 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 2: sterile area feeling comfortable, safe, feeling like something's really been 457 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 2: done and they have been treated like you know. 458 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 1: A bunch of idiots by idiots. 459 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 2: They don't get me wrong, I feel sorry for these 460 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 2: people who are not getting paid. They should get paid. 461 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:49,640 Speaker 2: But you know that the budget for TSA has grown 462 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:53,120 Speaker 2: from originally. Now, remember this act was passed in two 463 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:54,600 Speaker 2: thousand and one. 464 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:55,480 Speaker 1: I was there. 465 00:30:56,120 --> 00:31:00,200 Speaker 2: The budget was six point eight billion dollars. Today ten 466 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 2: and a half billion, approaching twelve billion. Now, not all 467 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 2: of that comes from taxpayers, excuse me. A significant portion 468 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 2: of that almost twelve billion dollars comes not from direct 469 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 2: congressional appropriations, but from the September eleven security fee levied 470 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:23,760 Speaker 2: on every airline ticket. That is a fee that has 471 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 2: risen more than three hundred percent since its creation. That 472 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 2: is a stealth tax on your ability to be mobile, 473 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:35,760 Speaker 2: to move, to travel, all collecting the name of security, 474 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 2: and spent largely on what institutional overhead. Excuse me, I 475 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:46,960 Speaker 2: doubt that passengers really know who pays TSA, whether it's 476 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:54,040 Speaker 2: the federal government, airports, or airlines. But the opacity is 477 00:31:54,080 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 2: not accidental. A bureaucracy will obscure their costs precisely because 478 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 2: a visible cost will invite scrutiny. Well, let me tell 479 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:08,440 Speaker 2: you every passenger is paying for it. And in addition 480 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:13,400 Speaker 2: to that, there are also appropriations. So if you're a passenger. 481 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 2: First of all, taxpayers pay some of it, passengers pay 482 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 2: some of it. So if you're a passenger, you get 483 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:20,480 Speaker 2: to pay twice. 484 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 1: Isn't that great? 485 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:28,240 Speaker 2: And what kind of service are you giving? Pretty lousy service. Now, 486 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:31,440 Speaker 2: I know that I'm indicting everybody. I'm making a generalization 487 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 2: here that I don't care because I went up privatized. 488 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 2: I want up privatized, and I want if I can't, 489 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:43,239 Speaker 2: maybe I can be more effective on the outside than 490 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:46,560 Speaker 2: it was on the inside. But simply making sure that 491 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:50,400 Speaker 2: a much larger audience knows that we're spending twelve million dollars, 492 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:53,600 Speaker 2: some of it from taxpayers, A lot of it is 493 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:56,920 Speaker 2: from that September eleventh security fee, which has risen three 494 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,920 Speaker 2: hundred percent since it was enacted. What are you getting 495 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:03,880 Speaker 2: for your money? Next time you go to airport, watch 496 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:05,600 Speaker 2: closely and think about that.