TSA Hassling Drivers on America's Highways

[flatdawg]

By Bob Barr

Global Research, November 8, 2011

Not content with hassling air passengers at airports across the country, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is now implementing plans to stop vehicles traveling America’s highways and byways, in the hope of finding terrorists and other lawbreakers. The acronym that government brainiacs have concocted for this intrusive program is “VIPR” — short for the “Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response.”

Last month, Tennessee proudly announced it had partnered with the TSA to become the first state to implement an extensive VIPR program. Volunteer State officials have dubbed their program the less catchy “First Observer Highway Security Program.”

To illustrate how this new program works, TSA and the Tennessee Highway Patrol recently spent a day bothering truck drivers and passengers by subjecting their cargoes to exhaustive searches. They also warned drivers — in keeping with a common pastime at TSA and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, of developing a nation of snitches — to “say something if they see something” that looks suspicious.

According to Bill Gibbons, Tennessee’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security commissioner, these security checkpoints, which are manned by law enforcement units festooned in paramilitary outfits, are absolutely necessary because terrorists are poised to strike our nation’s roadways.

Although the initial VIPR searches in Tennessee have been limited to trucks, security officials are also cautioning car drivers to keep their eyes open for potentially illicit activity; after all, anyone on the road could be a terrorist. In fact, VIPR programs in other states have not been limited to trucks, but have in fact targeted buses and trains as well.

According to a June report in The Daily Caller, the TSA has “conducted more than 8,000 VIPR operations in the past 12 months alone, including more than 3,700 operations in mass transit and passenger railroad venues.”

Not surprisingly, TSA is citing the expanded VIPR program as an excuse to request more funds from Congress; this despite the complete lack of any evidence the program has accomplished anything other than massively inconvenience people and tie up traffic. State and local law enforcement officials like the program because they can use it to secure additional federal funds. VIPR also has become a way for law enforcement to find evidence of other crimes without resorting to traditional law enforcement work, such as investigating and securing warrants.

The fact is, the VIPR program is more about money and security theater — showing people the government is “doing something” — than it is about true, effective security.

That’s why this latest example of “mission leap” at TSA is unlikely to stop anytime soon.

Bob Barr represented Georgia’s Seventh District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. He provides regular commentary to Daily Caller readers.

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America... more and more like East Germany every day.

[jeepguy]

recorded : one driver was said to have seen two subject 1 female 1 male suspicious attivity : male subjest was driving,the female subjust passenger seat her head down,nooo up ,,,now down ,,no wait up again ,,no wait down again,,,wait a second down and up down and up,,,,better send swat,,,the car bega too swerve a little back and forth in their lane,,, although the reported caller was still on the phone,,the callers husband was heard too have said,,, they must be driving a --- HUMMER ----- HEHEHEHEHEHE

[haymon]

They will probably work hard at it so that more people will be added to the force to help employment.

[Biker]

Ain't it a Bit;;;; next they will be wanting more money from the feds, for a couple hundred black lites to show evidence of body fluids, Yea we are free people , they just control every aspect of your life.

[flatdawg]

They will probably work hard at it so that more people will be added to the force to help employment.

In my dealings with the tsa, I've found their employees to stupid and lazy to have a productive job in the private sector.

[DinarMillionaire]

"They also warned drivers — in keeping with a common pastime at TSA and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, of developing a nation of snitches — to “say something if they see something” that looks suspicious."

TSA officials on our streets? America is becoming eerily reminiscent of Nazi Germany. Under the pretense of security. People time to wake up.

Germany became a nation of snoops. People were employed in each street, in each building complex etc. with the sole purpose of keeping an eye on others in their 'area' and reporting them to the authorities if they believed that something was amiss. The reputation of the Nazi police and the secret police lead by Himmler was such that no-one wished to cause offence. People kept their thoughts to themselves unless they wished to invite trouble. In this sense, Nazi Germany was a nation run on fear of the government. Hitler had created a one party state within months of being appointed chancellor.

What about the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution?

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Is this no longer valid?

[p71rock]

not with the TSA and the reeducation centers.

[umbertino]

Looks like they wish to create collective paranoia... Very dangerous if you ask me.