# What will really happen if Texas passes the TSA anti-groping bill? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 21, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310 "2011-06-21T17:05:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dripping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dripping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dripping)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/1 "2011-06-21T17:05:21Z")
Cite: [Welcome tsatyranny.com - BlueHost.com](http://tsatyranny.com/2011/06/tsa-bill-to-come-before-texas-special-session-call-the-senate/) and [http://www.earnedmedia.org/tsat0621.htm](http://www.earnedmedia.org/tsat0621.htm) This looks likely to pass and become law in Texas. Soon. Then what? Will the feds really cancel all flights in and out of Texas? Will airport police really arrest and jail TSA agents for the pat-downs? This could be huge… ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/2 "2011-06-21T17:24:44Z")
TSA agents are federal agents, right? I’m not sure how this would be different from a state law restricting the operations of the FBI, CIA, DEA, Secret Service or some other federal agency. I’m skeptical that the state has the authority regardless of what bills they pass. Edit: I understand that the training to work the metal detector and the training to be Secret Service are worlds apart and don’t mean to draw a direct comparison, but rather both get their authority via the federal government. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/3 "2011-06-21T17:31:46Z")
I’d prefer a cite to a non-blog/partisan source, but my initial reaction is Texas is facing an uphill battle on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Dripping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dripping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dripping)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/4 "2011-06-21T17:34:47Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I’d prefer a cite to a non-blog/partisan source, but my initial reaction is Texas is facing an uphill battle on this one. No problem, take your pick: [http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&cf=all&ncl=dgXLOAhL4ipPXmM2LHiCTzf2zjd3M](http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&cf=all&ncl=dgXLOAhL4ipPXmM2LHiCTzf2zjd3M) It’s all over mainstream news. I for one will raise a toast if/when the first TSA groper thug gets slapped in cuffs. Go Texas! ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/5 "2011-06-21T17:52:56Z")
It will make it harder for Texans to come to the other 49 states. So that’s a plus. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/6 "2011-06-21T18:09:26Z")
> [@Dripping](#): > > Cite: [Welcome tsatyranny.com - BlueHost.com](http://tsatyranny.com/2011/06/tsa-bill-to-come-before-texas-special-session-call-the-senate/) and [http://www.earnedmedia.org/tsat0621.htm](http://www.earnedmedia.org/tsat0621.htm) > > This looks likely to pass and become law in Texas. Soon. > > Then what? Will the feds really cancel all flights in and out of Texas? Will airport police really arrest and jail TSA agents for the pat-downs? This could be huge… The TSA has threatened to shut down flights in and out of Texas and I suspect that some Republicans probably have wet dreams that this will happen, but I doubt that President Obama will let it happen. I vote Republican, but I don’t think President Obama is an idiot. I doubt he will risk his reelection to protect the TSA. Either the TSA backs down or some compromise is worked out where Texas is allowed to use private screening companies. I’d be happy if we went back to the pre 9/11 rules except for the part about hardening the cockpit doors and got rid of the security theater. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/7 "2011-06-21T18:11:12Z")
Or even simpler than letting the State of Texas use private screening companies; the law is struck down in the federal courts. ---
**Author:** ![Dripping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dripping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dripping)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/8 "2011-06-21T18:14:17Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > The TSA has threatened to shut down flights in and out of Texas and I suspect that some Republicans probably have wet dreams that this will happen, but I doubt that President Obama will let it happen. I vote Republican, but I don’t think President Obama is an idiot. I doubt he will risk his reelection to protect the TSA. Either the TSA backs down or some compromise is worked out where Texas is allowed to use private screening. I generally vote Democrat, and I agree completely with everything in your post. Note: TSA has warned that private screeners are still required by federal law to folllow the TSA’s procedures, i.e. the groping and porno-scanners, so just going private won’t fix the abuses. ---
**Author:** ![Dripping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dripping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dripping)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/9 "2011-06-21T18:26:44Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > I doubt that President Obama will let it happen. I vote Republican, but I don’t think President Obama is an idiot. I doubt he will risk his reelection to protect the TSA. Factual question: Are the current TSA abuses, specifically the “enhanced pat-downs” and the naked scanners provably Obama’s fault? After all, it was the Bush administration that created and empowered the TSA. Weren’t there already problems with them being out of control before Obama arrived? I’m not taking sides here, I really don’t know the answer to this question. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/10 "2011-06-21T18:30:29Z")
If law-makers in Texas are so fired up about TSA groping, why aren’t the Texan law-makers in Washington – elected by the same citizens – similarly fired up? This is something that the Congress could actually do something to fix, while the Texas legislature probably can’t. Why aren’t there any moves in Congress to fix it? ---
**Author:** ![Dripping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dripping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dripping)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/11 "2011-06-21T18:45:01Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > If law-makers in Texas are so fired up about TSA groping, why aren’t the Texan law-makers in Washington – elected by the same citizens – similarly fired up? This is something that the Congress could actually do something to fix, while the Texas legislature probably can’t. Why aren’t there any moves in Congress to fix it? Good question. Especially since the anti-TSA backlash apparently has considerable bi-partisan support. Both sides seem to highly disapprove of the TSA’s behavior, the Republicans just a little more so. Yes, why aren’t we hearing about action fomenting on Capital Hill? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/12 "2011-06-21T18:48:31Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Why aren’t there any moves in Congress to fix it? Cynic that I am, I think it’s probably because there is less political advantage to Perry as a candidate for POTUS that way. Now he gets popular support for standing up to the feds, and possibly bonus talking points about “damn activist judges” when his law gets stuck down by the federal courts. ---
**Author:** ![Dripping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dripping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dripping)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/13 "2011-06-21T18:50:07Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Cynic that I am, I think it’s probably because there is less political advantage to Perry as a candidate for POTUS that way. Now he gets popular support for standing up to the feds, and possibly bonus talking points about “damn activist judges” when his law gets stuck down by the federal courts. Can the federal government strike down a state law? ---
**Author:** ![Profound\_Gibberish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Profound\_Gibberish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profound_Gibberish)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/14 "2011-06-21T18:56:08Z")
Everybody complains about the TSA screening–until a plane is hijacked or taken down because someone was able to board with a weapon. Then it will be “My God why isn’t the government protecting us properly???” Instead of whinning like children be thankful that there has not been another hijacking or bomb on an US airliner. The only bombs to come on board a US-bound flight have been from oversees because our screenig is too tight. As for loosening standards on TSA screening–who wants to be the congressperson that voted for that bill after a terrorist hijacks a plane because of the reduced screening? The standards will remain high for many years to come. Air travel is **NOT** a constitutional right, so quit whinning like it is! ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/15 "2011-06-21T18:59:02Z")
> [@Dripping](#): > > Can the federal government strike down a state law? The federal courts can if it’s unconstitutional, or if it’s in conflict with or preempted by federal law, which there’s a very good chance this is. > [@muldoonthief](#): > > It will make it harder for Texans to come to the other 49 states. So that’s a plus. Ah, but you forget that the law will also make it difficult for out of state Texans to _return_ to Texas, thereby raising the possibility that we will remain in your state indefinitely and mate with your livestock. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/16 "2011-06-21T19:06:01Z")
> [@Dripping](#): > > Can the federal government strike down a state law? If by “the federal government” you mean a federal court (particularly, but not just, the Supreme Court), yes, it can, if the state law conflicts with the federal Constitution. ---
**Author:** ![Dripping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dripping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dripping)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/17 "2011-06-21T19:06:33Z")
> [@dbx820](#): > > Everybody complains about the groping of TSA agents–until a plane is hijacked or taken down because someone was able to board with a weapon. Then it will be “My God why isn’t the government protecting us properly???” They’re NOT protecting us properly now. TSA’s bomb screeners missed more than 60% of bomb components which undercover agents attempted to smuggle through airport checkpoints, Cite: [http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/10/25/tsa-screeners-fail-most-bomb-tests/](http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/10/25/tsa-screeners-fail-most-bomb-tests/) As well, they have apparently never caught a single terrorist. Cite: [So How Many Terrorists Has the TSA Actually Caught?](http://www.newser.com/story/105724/how-many-terrorists-has-the-tsa-caught.html) Naw, they’re much too busy groping the genitals of crying babies and taking harmless toys away from mentally handicapped people :[TSA Agents Strip Mentally Disabled Man Of Toy Six-Inch Plastic Hammer – JONATHAN TURLEY](http://jonathanturley.org/2011/06/10/tsa-agents-strip-mentally-disabled-man-of-toy-six-inch-plastic-hammer/) and [http://nation.foxnews.com/culture/2011/05/09/tsa-searches-babys-diaper](http://nation.foxnews.com/culture/2011/05/09/tsa-searches-babys-diaper) p.s. It’s “whining”, not “whinning”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Profound\_Gibberish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Profound\_Gibberish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profound_Gibberish)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/18 "2011-06-21T19:22:53Z")
> [@Dripping](#): > > p.s. It’s “whining”, not “whinning”. 😃 Some of the whining around here is to the point that it needs an extra “n.” Anyone can successfully smuggle anything across any border with sufficient planning and a good dose of plain dumb luck. What the screening does–and the public’s outcry that it is too invasive–is give pause to those people that would try. Anyone can steal the TV out of my house–but the dogs barking in there will make it highly likely that they will try another house instead. Doesn’t mean that can’t and won’t steal it, just that it is another barrier that will give them pause. If someone could tell he how they could ensure that less restrictive screenings would keep flying passengers just as safe as under the current rules I would love to hear it. That’s the part that never gets mentioned. Oh, and Perry is a dipshit who is pandering to his wingnuts. Forgot to mention that one earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Dripping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dripping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dripping)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/19 "2011-06-21T19:31:13Z")
> [@dbx820](#): > > Some of the whining around here is to the point that it needs an extra “n.”. Whatever. Please don’t hijack the thread. It’s not about the TSA’s performance, good or bad. The question is: what happens next, once this bill is passed? ---
**Author:** ![Profound\_Gibberish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Profound\_Gibberish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profound_Gibberish)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310/20 "2011-06-21T19:39:20Z")
> [@Dripping](#): > > Whatever. Please don’t hijack the thread. It’s not about the TSA’s performance, good or bad. Ummm. . . .wasn’t that the subject of your last post? “The question is: what happens next, once this bill is passed?” Most likely scenario: The US government will shut down all flights at any airport where local or state law enforecment officals interfere with the duties of the TSA. Liklihood of this happening: A Gingrich’s chance in the oval office. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-really-happen-if-texas-passes-the-tsa-anti-groping-bill/586310.md?page=2)