Posted on 06/26/2012 6:02:29 PM PDT by jazusamo
Removing ‘last line of defense’ would be risky move
The Obama administration’s hatred for the Second Amendment has reached new heights. After nearly a decade of safe operation, the White House is looking to reduce the number of pilots who provide an extra layer of security against airborne terror by packing a pistol in the cockpit. This plan shouldn’t fly.
The federal flight-deck officer program was put in place as a direct response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists barged into the cockpits and seized control of airliners. The initiative provides $25.5 million for weapons training for pilots, including for cargo carriers and private charters. President Obama’s budget would slash the amount in half.
Uncle Sam spends about $4,800 per pilot for the training administered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), but aside from that, it doesn’t suffer from the usual bureaucratic bloat. Participants must pay their own travel, lodging and meal expenses. About 10,000 pilots have been certified, but the Obama administration’s goal is to see the number of armed aviators dwindle.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano defended her department’s 2013 proposed budget before the House Committee on Homeland Security in February. “The cuts are predicated on the fact that the program is not risk-based,” she claimed. That’s government-speak for wanting more money to grope people who aren’t terrorists instead of doing something that would stop actual terrorists.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
“$4,800 per pilot”???? That SHOULD be cut!
I wonder if Air Farce One has armed pilots?
But ... they said the same thing about Anakin Skywalker, and look how that turned out.
This should be no surprise: this after all is what “Operation Fast and Furious” was all about in the first place: an attack on our basic freedoms.
That seems high to me when people can get CC training from NRA instructors for a fraction of that. At the same time that’s less than what two TSA screeners make per month and they haven’t caught a terrorist as yet.
The government creates the $4,800 TSA requirement then bitches about it, and so do you.
Every jet operating in US airspace should have a shotgun rack mounted by the pilot and co-pilots seat, with quick access to multiple weapons, loaded with the appropriate rounds for use inside of an airplane, and with orders to use them as deemed necassary. Thousands of cop cars in the US have this setup, and we can’t have this in a commercial jet? It would definitely improve my peace of mind while flying, knowing that the flight crew is armed for bear.
BTTT!
It will take an entire term just to figure out all of the Executive Orders he’s written and another one or two years to reverse them all.
One term is all he gets.
Then it’s over to Palin...
Commercial airline pilots are not young inexperienced people.
Couldn’t the next pres just pass one executive order nullifying all Obama’s executive orders ... LOL! Just ax’n. ;-)
Bath-House Barry is HOPING for a violent incident to scare the beejeezus out of the public before the election.
OR...he’ll just have Manchelle impregnated by a turkey baster in plenty of time for all the liberal “ooohs and aaahs”.
My reaction as well. It shouldn't cost that much.
“$4,800 per pilot”???? That SHOULD be cut!
honestly, not even considering the FAA red tape, 4,800 for any government program is the cheapest deal I’ve ever seen.
At least its money well spent on something that really helps us, rather than billions going into the TSA.
In fact, if all pilots were armed asa matter of policy, we could disband the TSA and save a ton of money
Palin would be a breath of fresh air that’s for sure.
I think I know one pilot who is part of this program, but I’ve never asked because they can’t acknowledge their participation.
hopefully it’s tied to a 2x4
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