Privatizing the TSA

“It’s about fiscal responsibility!”

“Private companies just do it better than the government does!”

In the newsletter from Axios Tampa Bay today, we get this:

Travelers flying through Tampa International Airport next year will pass through security checkpoints staffed by a private contractor.

Why it matters: The change comes after a government shutdown snarled airports nationwide earlier this year and is part of President Dickhead Trump’s broader push to privatize airport security screening and shrink the Transportation Security Administration.

To be clear, there is only one actual goal here: make an owner of a private company richer by being tossed a cushy government contract. I would be willing to bet it was no-bid too. There’s no safer bet with this corrupt administration.

This won’t improve safety. It won’t save the taxpayers money. It won’t speed things up or make them more efficient. It will cost employees their benefits, lower their wages, and cost taxpayers twice as much. After all, private companies are well-known for being uber generous with wages, benefits, job security, etc. </s>

When a government agency is privatized, taxpayers often end up paying double. First, they fund the initial setup and administration. Then, they pay again when the government covers the higher costs charged by the private contractor.

Okay, but they’re actually saving money because companies can run things more efficiently and reduce costs, right?

Research hasn’t seen this play out in the past. Cost savings are typically either absent entirely or a fraction of the promised savings. This leads to governments often taking back control and costing even more in legal fees.

It would be great if the Grifter in Chief would stop enriching himself and his cronies, but that’s not going to happen until he’s in prison, and even then, who knows.