FLASH: Concern as Georgia GOP rep downplays terror planes:

[CottonBear]

(Moderator this is breaking on Raw Story - no article yet)

FLASH: Concern as Georgia GOP rep downplays terror planes: 'Most of us don't believe that we will ever see an airline hit a building, because the passengers won't allow it. And if an airline is blown up in the air, that is a very bad circumstance for 200 or 300 people. But it is not a catastrophe. I would rather spend these fortunes looking... for ...
It is my view that no airplane will ever hit a commercial building... Soon...

http://rawstory.com/

Any idea which GA Rep said this and where/to whom did he/she say this?

[daleo]

1. Nobody would have ever believed that terrorists would...

C. Rice.

[saigon68]

9. Ah Yes C. Rice

Queen of Ugly

[Zynx]

2. Well, I don't think there's going to be another hijack either

The Kevlar and steel door is going to prevent that.

[mermaid]

3. I'll Take A Guess

Zell Miller?

And don't tell me he isn't a GOP rep, because I call bullshit.

[CottonBear]

4. I think Zell's still in the hospital.

Notice the typical GOP abuse of the English language. He calls an airplane an "airline."

[cal04]

5. Congressman's quip regarding airplanes raises some concern

Chairman Christopher Cox (R-CA): The gentleman from Georgia

Rep. John Linder (R-GA): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Umm. We could probably spend, the entire budget of the United States, on the airline industry. And still be missing some pieces. Now, most of us don't believe that we will ever see an airline hit a building, because the passengers won't allow it. And if an airline is blown up in the air, that is a very bad circumstance for 200 or 300 people. But it is not a catastrophe. Rep. Linder: I would rather spend these fortunes looking for a catastrophe . . . for nuclear weapons. (mumbling and inaudible)

Chairman Cox: Is the gentleman's microphone turned on?

Rep. Linder: Yes.

Rep. Linder: We could spend everything we have protecting airplanes, and still not protect everything. Umm. It is my view that no airplane will ever hit a commercial building -- which is the only value they have in taking out large numbers of people. It is my view that passengers won't allow that to happen. But it is entirely possible that an airplane will blow up in the air, with some (inaudible) or warning today, or some other technique. But that is a very bad circumstance for about 200, 300 people. But it is not a catastrophe.

Rep. Linder: And if we are going to spend all this money, we ought to be thinking about the 1 million, or 2 million-person catastrophe that could be caused by a nuclear device, or a biological device. I think . . . we are doing an awful lot, and maybe too much, on airlines right now. Spending $5 billion dollars a year looking for toenail clippers and box cutters. We should be looking for nuclear devices and I think we should not spend all of our money on the airline industry . . .

RAW STORY HOPES TO POST AN AUDIO CLIP LATER TODAY... DEVELOPING....
http://rawstory.com/exclusives/byrne/linder_comments_terror_airplanes_429.htm

[CottonBear]

7. Here's an interesting Raw Story reader comment :

"Yeah.. let's not spend billions on making sure thousands of people don't die from a comercial building hit.. no biggy.. never mind that a comercial airliner with a nuke on it, over a city, -is- the catastrophe he's talking about. And, it's perhaps the ONLY way to get an air-burst of a nuke over US soil.. na, let's not spend billions on that.. let's increase the billions (up to $12 bill last I heard) we're giving to gas and oil companies.. the COEs and Board Members need that money something fierce.. no need to protect citizens from something that has been PROVED to have been a tactic already..
Savantster | 04.29.05 - 1:41 pm | # "

(John Linder is a representative for the district adjacent to my congressional district. Thank god that I have a Democratic rep and not one of these GOP morans.)

edit: I just don't know what to make of Linder's statements.

[Oreo]

6. Sounds hauntingly familiar to "Bring It On"

He calls blowing up at 30,000 feet and burning as you fall to the ground a bad circumstance?

I personally have seen a cockpit door swing open without anybody touching it. Nothing's foolproof.

[Mojorabbit]

8. Well in a way he is right

While nothing is checked at the ports a gazillion dollars is being spent confiscating lighters from airline passengers. A lot worse can happen than a plane crash...

[CottonBear]

10. Randi Rhodes mentined the lack of port security

and possible solutions. (X-ray devices on the cranes) Most of those shipping containers that get loaded onto trucks and trains are never checked or screened or x-rayed.