TSA can only do this crap because people fall for the same damn "give us tons of power and we'll fix stuff" that they fell for last election cycle, and the one before that and the one before that and...
Everyone always imagines all the power going to the EPA or whatever their favorite pet agency is (the fact that we even have these de-facto lawmaking executive bureaucracies is a travesty for another day) but forgets that there's one TSA, one DEA, one ATF and one DHS for every EPA.
Just got back from a flight and the TSA was remarkably polite and efficient as was Delta Airlines. I do agree with the consensus of the majority of the comments here that the TSA has outlived their purpose.
I've dealt with some TSA agents that get their job done super fast and I zip right through. That's how I know they're doing absolutely nothing and just wasting tax dollars.
The fastest TSA agents I ever dealt with didn't care about belts, shoes, or anything. It was great. Apparently they were all involved in an illegal gambling ring.
Everyone always imagines all the power going to the EPA or whatever their favorite pet agency is (the fact that we even have these de-facto lawmaking executive bureaucracies is a travesty for another day) but forgets that there's one TSA, one DEA, one ATF and one DHS for every EPA.