tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post3896414092404076629..comments2024-03-15T05:45:01.402-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Divisions among Governor, legislators over airport-style security at Texas capitol entrancesGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-92207687268418326902010-03-03T14:53:51.830-06:002010-03-03T14:53:51.830-06:00That's exactly right, 1:26. Excellent point ab...That's exactly right, 1:26. Excellent point about the Austin kamikaze. Rednecks are more resourceful than they're given credit for.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-83392814260182472042010-03-03T13:26:33.528-06:002010-03-03T13:26:33.528-06:00Grits said:
"The folks they're worried ab...Grits said:<br />"The folks they're worried about being angry at them now are constituents, which is a whole different kettle of fish."<br /><br />I think the Austin Kamikazi has shown that the home-grown A-holes are just as resourceful, if not more, than Al Qaeda. From my experience in the middle east, the local constituents would be much more dangerous than foreign terrorists, simply because they are familiar with the territory and the people. Lets' face it, if you're a home-grown redneck and really wanted to do some damage in the capitol, there are easier ways than trying to sneak in a gun. And, x-ray machines and metal detectors wouldn't be enough to stop you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-22911148715904081902010-03-03T12:55:32.409-06:002010-03-03T12:55:32.409-06:00We've got to find some way to keep Al Qaeda an...We've got to find some way to keep Al Qaeda and the lobbyists out of the capitol. It's bad enough that we've got politicians running in and out of there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-63961257036172733422010-03-03T11:27:07.866-06:002010-03-03T11:27:07.866-06:0011:03, the Texas Tribune said 20 states use them, ...11:03, the Texas Tribune said 20 states use them, maybe more. Don't know about cost projections.<br /><br />And to the 2nd 11:03, I don't think the guys threatening Carona or Patrick were "terrorists," just homegrown a-holes whose beef was politics made personal and had nothing to do with "making the public afraid of going inside public places." <br /><br />If this were about Al Qaeda they'd have done this after 9/11, when the idea was seriously considered and discarded for a variety of very good reasons. The folks they're worried about being angry at them now are constituents, which is a whole different kettle of fish.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-86879383350579363972010-03-03T11:03:58.797-06:002010-03-03T11:03:58.797-06:00I have no problem with being questioned as to what...I have no problem with being questioned as to what business I have entering the state capitol. As a matter of fact, I wish people in the state capitol would pay more attention to me than they do LOL!<br /><br />The idea of assassinating legislators outside the capitol walls is not the SOP of a terrorist. It's about terrorism. They aren't nearly as interested in taking out lawmakers as they are making the public afraid of going inside public places.<br /><br />Of course, you could just join the ranks of those poor grandparents who really think that taking off your orthopedic shoes and stepping in front of an X-ray machine to show off your "depends" will stop a terrorist attack.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-3942588801778195292010-03-03T11:03:53.390-06:002010-03-03T11:03:53.390-06:00Scott: My question would be twofold? 1.) What a...Scott: My question would be twofold? 1.) What are other states doing, which by the way probably would not matter to the great thinkers in this legislature; 2.) What are the cost projections when at this time state agencies are once again being asked to reduce overall expenditures by 5% across the board and revenues are down?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-91672060456960085882010-03-03T08:42:33.113-06:002010-03-03T08:42:33.113-06:00@ 11:13/8:06, so y'all think DPS should "...@ 11:13/8:06, so y'all think DPS should "confront and question" everyone who enters the Texas capitol, profiling people the way El Al does in Israeli airports? That's easily the most ridiculous suggestion any commenter has made on this blog in 2010. However, the year is young yet.<br /><br />People are so easily scared out of exercising their liberties it blows my mind. This is the friggin' STATE CAPITOL. The only reason you go there is to exercise your first amendment right to petition government. To have everyone go through airport-style security to enter is both ridiculously impractical and flies in the face of the historic culture and spirit of the institution. Besides, the place is already filled with armed DPS troopers who do a great job stopping any problems VERY quickly, in my experience.<br /><br />Finally, when legislators are in town it's exceptionally easy to find them outside the capitol at bars, restaurants, apartments whose addresses are listed in state ethics forms, etc.. If somebody wants to shoot a legislator, there are many other ways to do it than showing up at the capitol with a gun, which is why focusing massive resources at one already well-protected site generates little marginal extra safety for the cost. That's especially true when you add in the massive inconvenience and degradation of the institutional culture.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-63959036639132038772010-03-03T08:06:33.992-06:002010-03-03T08:06:33.992-06:00A good point, Robert. Getting back to airport-typ...A good point, Robert. Getting back to airport-type security, El Al boasts a better than 97 percent success rate at weeding out security attacks. The reason is because they don't just look for bombs and weapons with scanners and X-ray machines. They have trained individuals who confront and question every passenger, and they make good use of profiling techniques.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-4124527798819454752010-03-03T06:31:28.572-06:002010-03-03T06:31:28.572-06:00Of course, if you were VOTING at the metal detecto...Of course, if you were VOTING at the metal detectors and having to show your ID to get in........the democrats would bravely take a stand against it!Robert Langhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16497658569363397644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-26305055945069157562010-03-03T06:29:42.752-06:002010-03-03T06:29:42.752-06:00They can't help themselves from doing SOMETHIN...They can't help themselves from doing SOMETHING.Robert Langhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16497658569363397644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-42617554663869366592010-03-02T23:13:33.096-06:002010-03-02T23:13:33.096-06:00If they decide to do this, they need to consult wi...If they decide to do this, they need to consult with El Al, and not the TSA.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com