boston bombing

[kandrathe]

@kandrathe and hammerskjold.

Ok, thanks, so it is not just me.

I feel this way about most of government responses to issues -- it's more about the politically expedient appearance of making a difference, than making a difference. And, cynically, it is about maintaining the financial and social status quo, rather than meaningful changes that might risk alienating a constituency.

For example, had the government merely implemented a regulation requiring airlines to be responsible for ensuring passenger safety. Then the airlines would have needed to develop a passenger friendly, and cost effective strategy for pre-screening passengers with the smallest amount of reasonable intrusion.

Since the government is doing it, they can do whatever they want to the passengers without the "stink" of it tainting the airlines. It is now flying in general that stinks, mostly due to how our government degrades us. The airlines are off the hook, somewhat, if an actual terrorist slips past the perpetual government drag net.

Due to the excessive amount of corporate welfare doled out to US airlines, they have little choice but to go along with whatever the government wants. I feel this is that the government wants to be in total control, and take over whatever they touch. It is the difference between having regulations, holding airlines accountable to follow them, versus having boots on the ground enforcement at the passenger level. And, it has the government in the position to control, and to collect detailed intelligence on the movements of people both foreign and domestic.

I'm trying not to let my imagination carry me away with the haunting dystopian possibilities of City 17, and the potential difficulties in trying to visit my good buddy Barney. However, the recent lock down and travel restrictions in Boston (granted, for what we'd call good reasons) show what the government is capable of when they control all means of moving. Whether we like it, or not, a gilded cage, is still a cage and a benevolent dictator/emperor is still an imperialist tyranny.