No one in Congress, no TSA administrators, no President, and no judge has ever consciously had the thought that airport security was beneficial to them because it enhances state authority.

The TSA exists because it

1. Made some people look good

2. Made some people money

3. Was thought necessary by some true believers

The incentive structures aren’t aligned in a way that any individual cares about reinforcing state power like that. Mostly the people in charge care about getting reelected, keeping their jobs, making money, or in some cases doing good.

TSA lines suck because you have a bunch of hourly workers directing a a crowd of clueless people through a multi step process.

I just got back from Disney World with the family. We flew out of an airport with TSA, went through dozens of security lines at the parks, and flew out of an airport that doesn’t use TSA.

There was no meaningful difference interactions with any of the security personal. Some were nice some were annoyed, some were bordering on mean.