Liberal Talk Radio

New York Times reports changes coming in the way air passengers are screened.

Changes will involve new types of random searches and expanded pat downs for targeted passengers.

Interestingly, the new screening will relax restrictions on small sharps — scissors and the like.

This is an interesting political bargain. Homeland Security is reconizing the necessity of the changes — and the urgency — by putting them into effect on Dec. 20, right before the peak of holiday travel. Is this in response to a specific threat?

Yet, as if acknowledging the increased discomfort for passengers, HomSec tosses the proverbial bone by letting passengers keep their pointy trinkets.

Adding to the interestingness of these changes, it seems to me that the new pat-down rules are designed less to catch evil-doers than to relieve the stress and boredom for employees from perfunctory searches. The searches — while formal and proscribed — will have the additional effect of trusting employees to use their judgement in searches.

Under the revised policy, screeners will still have the option of skipping pat-downs in certain areas “if it is clear there is no threat,” like when a person is wearing tight clothing making it obvious that there is nothing hidden.

This change will empower employees to use their own good judgement in their work, which can only improve the overall quality of it. A fascinating, forward looking innovation in federal policy brought to an area of critical national concern.

Here’s hoping it works.