Something Smells: TSA, Lobbyists, L3 Communications

[GTaudiophile]

According to the front page of today's issue of USA Today, body scanner makers doubled lobbying cash over 5 years.

Chief among the lobbying firms is scanner manufacturer, L3 Communcations:

L-3 Communications, which has sold $39.7 million worth of the machines to the federal government, spent $4.3 million trying to influence Congress and federal agencies during the first nine months of this year, up from $2.1 million in 2005, lobbying data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics show. Its lobbyists include Linda Daschle, a former Federal Aviation Administration official [and wife of Tom Daschle].

Meanwhile, over in Amsterdam, the same company is selling just as accurate but much "safer" body scanning equipment that utilizes radio waves instead of backscatter imaging.

The Woburn, Mass., firm that manufacturers the system, L-3 Communications Security & Detection Systems, claims on its website that the radio waves are "10,000 times lower than other commonly used radio frequency devices."

So, what gives? Why does Europe get the safe models while we get the "intense" models? Is it because we are fatter? Or is it because the less-safe models cost a lot more and the lobbyists made more money by bribing those models off instead?

Just more examples of industry and government tied at the hip to drop kick and ass rape the American public.

This BS is out of control and has to end.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

this is obviouly about money. how much do they stand to gain if these are put into major train and subway stations, government buildings and courthouses. BIG $$$$$$$

 

[Throckmorton]

Now if only the pink ribbon folks actually cared enough about reducing cancer, they could lobby on the other side...

 

[ayabe]

Now if only the pink ribbon folks actually cared enough about reducing cancer, they could lobby on the other side...

That's a stupid statement, there is no definitive proof either way. You're asking a group to hyperventilate without any facts backing their outrage.

Oh wait, I forgot, there's nothing more American than faux outrage.

 

[Scotteq]

Now if only the pink ribbon folks actually cared enough about reducing cancer, they could lobby on the other side...

Naah - they'll just hand over their breast implants cos the TSA said so.

 

[drebo]

That's a stupid statement, there is no definitive proof either way. You're asking a group to hyperventilate without any facts backing their outrage.

Oh wait, I forgot, there's nothing more American than faux outrage.

And why, exactly, is outrage over misspent money and unconstitutional government policy fake?

 

[ayabe]

And why, exactly, is outrage over misspent money and unconstitutional government policy fake?

Because lightweights enjoy throwing out words like unconstitutional without even knowing what that means and don't have the background to make such claims.

Let's start with that, if you want more then start another thread. But since you're all about uninformed outrage, why aren't you out there protesting the scanners and the certain testicle cancer that's sure to follow?

I'll posit a guess - because you're not a fucking fool. There are plenty of legitimate reasons to be against the policy that are rooted in fact. No need to cloud the issue with more hearsay and general idiocy.

Just like with vaccines, we have totally unqualified idiots spreading pure myths like Jenny McCarthy. Let's try to do better on this TSA thing.

 

[rudder]

the former head of the department of homeland security runs a consulting/lobbying firm whose client is one of two scanner manufacturers in the U.S. That company just received $160 million from Uncle Sam.

I had a thread about it somewhere today...

 

[rudder]

I had a thread about it somewhere today...

Here you go my man...

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2122256

 

[sandorski]

Why do you want to stifle Freedom of Speech?

We should all chip in our Freedom of Speech so we can give the FBI a lump sum of Freedom of Speech to investigate the OP for Treason.

While we're at it, I think I know what "In God we Trust" can be replaced with.

 

[JSt0rm]

That's a stupid statement, there is no definitive proof either way. You're asking a group to hyperventilate without any facts backing their outrage.

Oh wait, I forgot, there's nothing more American than faux outrage.

So there is no proof either way and you are advocating putting them in every train station, bus terminal and airport in the country? Smart.

 

[Bird222]

What is troubling is that I am hearing that these machines don't detect the power explosive that the 'underwear bomber' had on him and that the government hasn't fully tested them. So why are we using these things?

 

[werepossum]

Because lightweights enjoy throwing out words like unconstitutional without even knowing what that means and don't have the background to make such claims.

Let's start with that, if you want more then start another thread. But since you're all about uninformed outrage, why aren't you out there protesting the scanners and the certain testicle cancer that's sure to follow?

I'll posit a guess - because you're not a fucking fool. There are plenty of legitimate reasons to be against the policy that are rooted in fact. No need to cloud the issue with more hearsay and general idiocy.

Just like with vaccines, we have totally unqualified idiots spreading pure myths like Jenny McCarthy. Let's try to do better on this TSA thing.

Jenny McCarthy is NOT a myth, I've seen her!