Archive for the ‘airport security’ Category

Because you might be flying out of Hartsfield-Jackson between now and Thanksgiving Day, U.S. Rep. Paul Broun has decided to offer you his comforting opinion on air safety.

The congressman from Athens joined House Transportation Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., at Reagan National on Wednesday, where the pair dropped a report that called the $56 billion spent on airport security since 9/11 to be a waste.

From the Washington Post:

Broun said a terrorist bomb could be put aboard an airliner “very easily” at his home airport in Atlanta. “TSA has not prevented any attacks,” he said. “It’s just been very fortunate that we’ve had no attacks.”

Broun has been a frequent critic of airport security. When last heard from on the topic, the congressman said he had witnessed security agents at an airport – he never said which one – pat down an elderly woman and child, but skip a man “in Arabian dress, who just walked right through.”

Then again, there is that Channel 2 …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Terrorist bomb could be planted ‘very easily’ at Hartsfield-Jackson, says Paul Broun »

As well you know, Republicans in Georgia do not support tax increases. But fee increases are an entirely different matter.

This year’s $18 billion state budget includes $96 million in fee increases – many levied by the courts. Not to mention the unfortunately named $200 million hospital bed tax.

That same hat trick may not be so easy when the General Assembly convenes again this week. From Walter Jones of the Morris News Service:

Officials with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia said Monday that they intend to take a public stance against future fees until the state stops its practice of redirecting the revenue collected from existing fees.

Examples include fees on drunk-driving arrests for crime labs and on phone bills listed for 911 service even though none of the money winds up going to local emergency-dispatch services.

“The big issue here is when does a fee become a tax? Does it erode the public’s trust in our state government to deliver the services … …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Balking at the ‘bait-and-switch’ of fee increases »