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More Unsolicited Advice for Obama
Saturday, November 15th, 2008Bruce Schneier for director of TSA.
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15 Responses to “More Unsolicited Advice for Obama”
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That sounds awesome. Someone with no applicable management experience who has never held an operational role in physical security to head the most sclerotic and misdirected subdivision of Homeland Security. But at least the TSA will be well-represented in the Op-Ed pages.
Not just TSA director. Make him Sec of Homeland Security.
Reality check: Bruce is busy doing *interesting* work. But yeah, Obama certainly should *listen* to him on everything TSA…
Thomas’s ignorance aside – Bruce isn’t a bureaucrat and is ill suited for the role. However – Bruce is best suited as a consultant to resolve gaps with their strategy though.
(as an infosec guy I find people who trash Bruce just don’t understand security and feel threatened – just a personal observation)
On the subject of unsolicited advice:
http://filthspigot.livejournal.com/18308.html#cutid1
TIm, Google my name, and then acknowledge that you just made the exact same point I did — although you did it with far more reverence for Schneier’s accomplishments than I did.
What’s the job we want the TSA to be doing? The reason I think Schneier’s is a silly name to float here isn’t that I disagree with him on the value or competance of the TSA. Clearly, airport security is a farce.
But having said that, what’s the expectation here? Based on what he’s written, what’s Schneier going to propose the TSA do? Lift the ban on liquids? Almost ANY replacement for Kip Hawley is going to do that.
Unless you believe we should drastically scale back airport security and do away with the TSA — not an unreasonable position — I think you have to concede that the TSA’s challenges are logistical. The TSA needs to recruit and professionalize a massive nationwide security force that runs in constant, face-to-face contact with a good portion of the population. The lack of professional standards, consistent rules, and transparent decisionmaking are failures of management, not of vision.
From an ideological standpoint, I can understand most people here wanting to get rid of TSA. Even though I work there, I can acknowledge the strong argument for our dissolution. Problem is, that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. As long as TSA is running security at 99% of the airports (I think about 3 or so have went back to private security in 7 years) then the US government is for the most part liable for security breaches, not the airports, airlines, or security companies. Try and place that liability on the market, and a herd of lobbyists from all areas of the aviation sector are going to descend on the Hill to explain to Congress why TSA is actually a great American institution, and even needs a budget increase.
It doesn’t matter if you put Mr. Schneier or anyone else in charge, the majority of our most annoying policies will stay in effect, transparency will not improve much (at least from the critics standpoint), and poor managers will keep on managing poorly. I have to say, from my worker-bee standpoint, Mr. Hawley is not too bad. Contrast him with Admiral Hawley back in 04 was a freaking nightmare. You think TSA is fascist now? Fair enough, but you should have heard the things coming out of that guys mouth.
So TSA Guy, you are saying that currently no one accepts the liability. We all know the Feds never take responsibility for anything that they screw up.
Instead of Bruce Schneier for TSA czar, why not abolish the TSA? And every government bureaucracy?
Chris, in this context, responsibility and liability are two different things. The aviation industry won’t be liable for damages incurred due to inadequate security as long as the USG is in charge of that security.
For example, secondary barriers (simple, cheap, and easily installed for many commercial aircraft) would eliminate the vulnerability posed by pilots leaving the cockpit to go to the bathroom or stretch their legs or whatever. Only one airline has taken the lead on that however. The other airline feel that if they install this device without TSA guidance and it fails or is counterproductive, they could be held liable. TSA won’t give the guidance because of the cost incurred to the airlines. So, nothing happens, which suits the airlines fine because either way they are saving money.
Once again, it’s easy to just say “get rid of TSA”, but until you convince Congress that its okay to let the aviation industry have responsibility for security AND liability for failures in that security, TSA isn’t going anywhere.
As much as I respect Schneier, appointing him would be a mistake. There is a long history of experts failing when appointed to political positions. The head of any agency is more of a CEO than a CIO or CTO.
Schneier as some type of undersecretary level position could make sense. He is a typical speak your mind type of guy who gets killed by the other politicals that he offends.
Bruce would probably be a poor choice and miserable leading the TSA or any govt agency. That requires a different skillset. Barak Obama would be wise to place Schneier on the NSC or as a special adviser to the president. Not as National Security adviser, but as someone who ca cut through the political crap and advise the President on what will work and won’t.
Assuming the next President doesn’t adopt the permanent campaign mindset that dominated the Clinton or Bush Administrations (See Scott McCellen’s book) then Schneier would be an asset to President Obama.
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