The TSA, California, and Crossing the Street

TSA

The TSA has shut down an exemption for private airport screeners.

Senior Counsel Hans Bader explains what has changed.

“Previously, the Screening Partnership Program allowed airports to replace government screeners with private contractors. 16 airports did so. […] The TSA’s head said he did not see any ‘clear or substantial advantage’ to the TSA in allowing additional airports to use private screeners, although he said that the few other airports that already use private screeners will be allowed to continue to do so.”

California

In 2010, 204 businesses left California.

Policy Analyst Brian McGraw says that California’s budgetary problems are to blame.

“Their budget deficit is projected to be $19 billion dollars, with annual unfunded pension liabilities potentially reaching $80 billion by 2012, and a lawattempting to curb greenhouse gas emissions. This will almost certainly result in reduced state spending but also some form of tax increases, as we’ve seen in Illinois. Given this mess that California has gotten itself into, its not a surprise that companies are fleeing California. Unfortunately, as companies leave the situation only gets worse, and its unlikely that any of these companies have said, ‘I’ll be back.'”

Crossing the Street

Three states want to make it illegal to listen to your iPod while you cross the street.

Fellow in Regulatory Studies Ryan Young says the regulations are well-intentioned, but unnecessary, and may even have negative consequences.

“Pedestrian deaths did go slightly up last year. But pedestrian deaths have been trending down for two decades, despite the rise of iPods and smartphones. Turns out that most people have enough common sense to pay more attention to traffic than their phone while crossing the street. Legislating common sense is at best redundant. But in this case, it’s actually harmful. Police departments only have so many resources to go around. All the time and manpower they spend watching people cross the street is time and manpower not spent on more serious crimes. This is a solution without a problem.”