The recent announcement that the TSA is ending its “Quiet Skies” program has been framed as a victory against wasteful spending and political misuse. While any program that costs taxpayers millions and is used to target political opponents deserves scrutiny, scrapping Quiet Skies entirely is a dangerously simplistic solution. I have a nuanced critique: the core concept of the program is not only sound but essential. The problem wasn’t the mission; it was the flawed execution and political weaponization. Instead of ending the program, we should be reforming it into a smarter, more effective tool that truly secures our nation.
First, the idea of using dedicated analysts and undercover air marshals is a good one. However, their mission should be dovetailed with other tangible needs in our struggling aviation sector. Imagine if their observational data could be used for quality control or to assist our overburdened Air Traffic Control system. This would add immense value beyond pure counter-terrorism and justify the program’s existence on multiple fronts.
The program’s methods, with key reforms, are vital. Monitoring for outstanding warrants is a logical security measure, provided we address the “judicial coup” that many fear, ensuring judges are not acting as political agents. Facial recognition should be non-negotiable at airports; in an era where masks are still common, it’s a commonsense security layer. This brings me to a contentious but necessary point: we need more outright travel bans. I do not support travel from China, period—primarily due to pandemic risks but also because they are not our allies. The same scrutiny should apply to India for its alignment with Russia. Diplomacy can be conducted via AI-powered translation and video calls; market access can be a reward for tariff cooperation, not a default right.
Monitoring suspicious travel patterns is a cornerstone of intelligence and must continue. The enhanced screenings that come with it are acceptable, but with firm lines drawn. There should not be DNA swabbing of U.S. citizens; it’s a creepy and invasive overreach.
I am highly skeptical of the claim that Quiet Skies “failed to stop a SINGLE terrorist attack.” Given how stalled the FOIA process is at agencies like the FDA and CDC, and the utter lack of transparency around FAA drone reports, we should not accept this claim without a massive, independent investigation. I suspect the program was more effective than is being admitted, and its cancellation serves another agenda: forcing the adoption of REAL ID.
The push for REAL ID is the real threat here. As I’ve written before, REAL ID is the infrastructure for a national tracking system, a “1984” scenario that evokes fears of a “mark of the beast” level of government control. The solution is to repeal REAL ID and replace it with a decentralized “StatePass” system, funded by provisions in legislation like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. StatePass would empower states to issue secure, privacy-protecting IDs for domestic travel, blocking the potential for a centralized federal surveillance database.
As for the political misuse, we all know it happened. A lengthy Congressional investigation is likely a waste of time. Instead, we must demand a simple, auditable system for how individuals are placed on any watch list—a process so transparent that it could have worked for the Pony Express. While a degree of tactical mystery is a security advantage, the default must be transparency. Citizens should have a right, similar to FOIA, to inquire about their status and challenge it. The case of @TulsiGabbard, a political opponent targeted by the program, shows precisely why this cannot be a secret process.
I do not care that a top Democrat criticized the termination of the program; their motives are just as political as those who misused it, as the Gabbard case demonstrates. My focus remains on safety.
I stress that a reformed Quiet Skies program is essential to keeping our country safe. Personally, I don’t fly—I don’t even have a REAL ID, and like John Madden, I believe in staying grounded for a variety of reasons. But for the millions of Americans who do travel, we owe them a security apparatus that is effective, accountable, and laser-focused on its true mission, not on political games.
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