Actually, the Wired News article addresses your point:
Independent Institute President David Theroux believes that security would be enhanced and the threat to civil liberties diminished if all airport operations -- including terrorist screening -- were privatized.
"Many European airports have been privatized," he said, "resulting in improved service, including security and accountability. Firms (operating airports) should be made totally subject to competitive pressures to perform and should be held fully accountable for any breaches in the civil-liberty rights of passengers. If such systems fail to protect passengers and employees, they would be held accountable."
Historically, centralization of control works poorly, if at all (e.g., the economy of the Soviet Union, which one might argue survived as long as it did because of pandemic finagling). Too, the reactions of most governments to threats like terrorism has been to centralize power and restrict the actions of citizens (e.g., UK in Palestine in the late 40s, France in Algeria in the 60s, and so on), with predictable consequences (the insurgents win).
I agree with Theroux that the only path to salvation lies in privatization and radical decentralization of power. Arm the pilots. Hell, expand the sky marshal program to include anyone without a criminal background and who has been properly trained along the lines of a military reservist to pack a concealed weapon on an aircraft.
Unfortunately, nobody is interested in decentralization. Loads of people seem to fall into apoplectic fits when anyone suggests arming pilots. (I don't think I've seen the second alternative ever even mentioned. I suspect some people who firmly believe only the government - and by implication, criminals - ought to have guns would probably need medical aid to recover from the shock.)
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Date: 2002-09-23 11:29 am (UTC)Historically, centralization of control works poorly, if at all (e.g., the economy of the Soviet Union, which one might argue survived as long as it did because of pandemic finagling). Too, the reactions of most governments to threats like terrorism has been to centralize power and restrict the actions of citizens (e.g., UK in Palestine in the late 40s, France in Algeria in the 60s, and so on), with predictable consequences (the insurgents win).
I agree with Theroux that the only path to salvation lies in privatization and radical decentralization of power. Arm the pilots. Hell, expand the sky marshal program to include anyone without a criminal background and who has been properly trained along the lines of a military reservist to pack a concealed weapon on an aircraft.
Unfortunately, nobody is interested in decentralization. Loads of people seem to fall into apoplectic fits when anyone suggests arming pilots. (I don't think I've seen the second alternative ever even mentioned. I suspect some people who firmly believe only the government - and by implication, criminals - ought to have guns would probably need medical aid to recover from the shock.)
Cheers...