Quoted:
I failed to see how said TSA employees were being idiots. Sounds like they were just doing the job they had been assigned. Maybe you should turn your attention to where the decisions are being made (IE: Managment) and not towards the people out in the field who are just doing what managment told them to do???

DHS list the National Threat Level as Yellow or Elevated, BUT the threat level for the AIRLINE INDUSTRY is listed as HIGH or ORANGE.

Perhaps they recived information to believe something is up that is making them worry more and they are stepping up their "Layers of Security" ideas.

Ever notice how security seems to be redundant and checks the same thing more than once? Thats intentional so that if they miss something in one layer it's caught in another layer. They realise that their people are human and are cabable of making mistakes. No one wants a mistake to allow a plance to blow up in the air do they?

I admit  I've never heard of TSA doing random spot checks at the gate, but they will do a "gate check" on a person if the airline requests it, or if the airline encounters a passanger with a boarding pass marked for additional screening that had not been marked by TSA that the additional screening process had been completed.

Or perhaps there was a threat recieved against that particular flight. It is not uncommon for TSA to recieve information that a particular flight is the target of an unknown attack and step up security on that flight accordingly.

Do I enjoy goig threw TSA security? Hell No! But that does not make what they are doin any less important. If im going to be sitting in a damn flying metal tube several miles high with hundreds of strangers who have hundres of bags in a cargo hold under my ass, I'm not going to complain about having to send my shit threw screening. Yea I have to take my shoes and jacket off and occationaly get patted down, but in return I know that someone checked the rest of those people and their shit as well. Even if I were allowed to fly with a gun on my hip and my AR on my damn lap that wouldn't protect be from a bomb in the cargo hold or in the suitcase of the fucktard in the next aisle..

You need to chill out. These people are just doing theirs jobs just like any other person at work.

Quoted:
To the OP:
Put your money where your mouth is, if you can do a better job prove it!

That is what I did after 9/11.  Gave up a career in architecture for a job with TSA.  Best decision I have ever made.  I started in NY and was one of the first to have the job.  I do not care if you like TSA or not, our mission is quite simple, keep the bad people and bad things off of the aircraft.  How we go about that task can get really technical.  After 6 years I have met some of the most dedicated officers in this country.  We quietly do our jobs, often to a thankless public, we endure many slanders but always focus on the mission.  

By the way you are welcome, and I am glad you made it to your destination safely.  Mission accomplished!

To those of you who trash the TSA, I respect your freedom of speech as I respect all of our Constitutional rights (this is the third time I have taken oath to our country).  My question to you is, what would you do differently?  Are there bad officers?  Yes there are, my advice is ask to speak with their supervisor.  If asking fails, demand it.  We work for you, you help pay our salaries and deserve the best possible security and customer service that we can provide.  If there is a problem we will fix it.

To those of you who get it and are supportive of the TSA.  Thank you, I know that I am not wasting my time, talent or energy to help protect our country.

Quoted:
TSA is the CCC of the 21st century.

Quoted:
To the OP:
Put your money where your mouth is, if you can do a better job prove it!

That is what I did after 9/11.  Gave up a career in architecture for a job with TSA.  Best decision I have ever made.  -snip-