[fabricode]

I thought the overlord joke was from the Simpson's, but it turns out that they got the idea from 70's high camp: http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-for-one-welcome-our-new-x-ov...

More on topic: I believe that one of the main reasons why they don't take it seriously is because they are literally above the law here. They don't have to go through the same process that ordinary travelers do. I can't find an authoritative source, so either all of Congress or only those senior members traveling with a security detail are exempt, but either way, those in charge don't understand the full impact it has on ordinary people's lives.

[alain94040]

Not true. Here's one famous case: Senator Kennedy was on the no-fly-list for a while, so security theater applies to congress members as well as you. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17073-2004Aug...)

[bdunbar]

so security theater applies to congress members as well as you.

Not so much ...

"Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge finally called to apologize about the mix-up, and the delays stopped in early April, Smith said."

If you, or I, got on the no-fly list I doubt the head cheese would call up and offer an apology.

[retroafroman]

Rep. Jasn Chaffetz famously got into a big fight with TSA when he was asked to go through the millimeter wave scanner, having just previously embarked on a fight to get rid of them.

[rtrunck]

They presumably weren't always above the law and, one would hope, remember the pains of the TSA.