Republican Rep: I Think That It's Time to Privatize Airport Security

In light of the anger over TSA's "love pats", Florida Representative John Mica (R)
has suggested that it might be time to privatize airport security:

Seeking to capitalize on the growing furor over passenger patdowns, a powerful Florida congressman is pushing for airports to consider ditching TSA agents altogether in favor of private contractors -- a proposal that the Transportation Security Administration conditionally supports.

But Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., a longtime critic of the TSA, counts among his campaign contributors some of the companies that might take the TSA's place. In the past 13 years, he has received almost $81,000 in campaign donations from political action committees and executives connected to some of the private contractors already at 16 U.S. airports.

Mica's spokesman says those contributions have never influenced his decision-making. As the ranking Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Mica is expected to lead the panel once the new Congress convenes in January.

The TSA, meanwhile, is not opposed to calls for privatizing airport security.

While this may be a good idea, he may not be the right messenger, considering who he has received many of his campaign contributions from over the years. However, something definitely needs to be done about this issue. Even though these security policies have only been in place for a few weeks, there has already been an outcry from the public to get rid of them because they go too far and violate their 4th amendment rights. I shudder to think of the mayhem that may ensue during the holiday travel season.