Well hang on a second, we absolutely are the people who have to deal with the aftermath as we are the flying public. I'd say I personally am more highly motivated on real airline security than some dude at a desk in Washington or throwing bags in the airport who might not even have a passport. I am the target. If you're with me on the plane, you are too.

Question for you, what's the airline with best security record in the world? El Al, who have been under constant terrorist threat for 40 years. Yet no-one mocks them for their boneheaded ideas (e.g. let's confiscate everyone's liquids based on volume alone and toss them all into a big bin right near the checkpoint) because they really do know what they're doing. No bullshit, no security theatre, just a track record.

TSA and Homeland Security are amateurs. Both the shoebomber and now the pantsbomber (both of whom were utterly incompetent themselves) breezed through all their security measures. Ordinary passengers dealt with it, the old fashioned way. There's a lesson there.