But I may be odd man out on the guns-in-planes deal. I know some folks in aviation (pilots included) that are pro and con on it, and it isn't split Dem vs Rep either.
What is your thoughts on Air Marshalls? (I know this is going a bit off topic...)
In a world with infinite resources for the government to pay billions for such a program, it makes sense. In the real world, it is ludicrous.
Looking at the big picture, the largest external threats to America are biological and nuclear weapons being smuggled in across the borders. Prudence dictates that preventing this should be the top priority.
Therefore, any new federal programs should be directed to this (i.e., securing our borders from external threats). Furthermore, the federal gov't should divert resources from existing federal programs that enforce stupid laws (such as alcohol, weapons, certain taxes and regulations, etc....) to prevent the use of WMD here in the United States. Should we spend billions on a program that might save hundreds of lives, when those finite resources would be better spent on efforts that could save the lives of millions, by securing our borders? I think not.
The Air Marshall program has been totally ineffective. It has cost the taxpayers millions (if not billions) of dollars, yet there are so few Marshalls that the gov't won't tell us how many flights they are on. A large percentage of these Marshalls come from existing federal agencies that are loosing their expertise. Those agencies are complaining about the loss of talent.
One reason that many support the Air Marshall program is under the false belief that they will restore the public's confidence in the airline industry. This has failed too (no surprise there). The number of people flying is down significantly since last year. Despite a multi-billion dollar bailout package, the airlines are still laying people off and losing money. Some have already gone bankrupt, others are on the edge of doing so.
The Air Marshall program had nothing to do with security, and everything to do with the federal government propagating the lie that only they can protect us.
A better approach could have been implemented on 9/12. The pilots should be able to carry. Police officers should be able to carry. And CCW holders should be able to carry. Those three groups constitute 3 million people, and could easily protect the airlines from a hijacking. It would cost the government absolutely nothing, allow federal agents to devote their time to preventing WMD from infiltrating the borders, and the airlines would be making more money from more of us flying. It's a win-win-win situation, but one that our corrupt and illegitimate government refused to even consider.