Flyover Country

We’re hearing the words “grassroots” and “astroturf” thrown about.  The idea of “grassroots” is generally a lack of top-down centralized leadership.  Rather, it is a community-generated and community-centered effort to change a law or policy of the government.  Astroturf is fake grass, like you see in most indoor football stadiums.  You might remember a type of consumer-grade green plastic carpet that maybe your folks (or you) have on your front or back porch.  That is basically astroturf – synthetic, manufactured grass.

Last April, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi referred to the tea parties as “astroturf”.  This was her way of dismissing the people, and pretending like they didn’t matter.  In her mind, these people were faking “grassroots”.

This [tea party] initiative is funded by the high end — we call call it astroturf, it’s not really a grassroots movement. It’s astroturf by some of the wealthiest people in America

That accusation is really rich (no pun intended) coming from the Speaker of the House.  Through the DCCC, she recently sent out a missive begging for donations.

The insurance industry left to its own devices has behaved shamefully, and we must act on behalf of the American people. We have lived on their playing field all this time. It’s time for the insurance companies to exist on the playing field of the American people.

With your grassroots support in the next 24 hours, that is precisely what will happen.

Someone please explain to me how support is “grassroots” when solicited by the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives?  The truth is, it isn’t.  And they know it.  But it doesn’t matter to them.  I don’t take issue with Speaker Pelosi or the DCCC attempting to raise money.  I take issue with what I can only describe as two-faced.  On one hand, the people gathering in their communities around the country who disagree with her aren’t grassroots.  But, please give her and the DCCC money because being grassroots is such a great thing.

I use this as an example to illustrate why Congress has a 10% approval rating, and why many of us hate politicians.  Today, Pelosi seems to find a use for the tea parties, as if they’re just tools:

The San Francisco Democrat says the tea party coalition shares some common ground with Democrats, such as their dislike of special interests in Washington. She cited public disdain for the recent Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance that allows companies and unions to spend freely on ads that promote or target particular candidates by name. (h/t @bccohan)

Now, instead of trying to denigrate the tea parties, she is putting words in our mouths. This is what elitist politicians do.  They don’t play “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”.  They play “if you can’t beat ‘em, pretend to speak for them”

Look, Pelosi wants to spout off and call the tea parties “astroturf” fine.  She’s deaf and wrong.  But then to turn around and pretend to garner grassroots support for your cause, Madam Speaker?  The American people aren’t that stupid.

I’m always suspicious of people who have things to say to the media, claim to be “aviation [security] experts” and who work(ed) for the TSA.  Employment by the aforementioned agency certainly does not automatically grant “expert” status.

The simple fact is this: Sometimes there’s nothing you can do. Once in a while, lone maniacs decide to kill as many people as they can. All the name checks and technology in the world couldn’t have kept Stack from flying his plane into the IRS building. But perhaps this tragedy will cause the TSA to reconsider its ill-conceived plan to roll back general aviation security. (Boston Herald)

What we’re saying is that nothing would have stopped this guy, but we should use this as an excuse to burden GA with draconian security theatre measures anyway?

The columnist is right.  Very little, if anything could have stopped this maniac.  However, @NYCAviation made a very insightful statement

Hey Joe Stack! Having money problems? $10k money hole? MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE SOLD YOUR 6-FIGURE AIRPLANE!

Stack smashed the Piper he owned into a building in downtown Austin, killing himself and one other who was in the building at the time.  The 90 second ATC tape (Stack is identified as “Dakota” or “8-9-Delta”) is completely routine chatter.  Chilling in retrospect, but no clues that I or the controller on duty could discern as to what Stack was about to do.

In my best impression of how I imagine John Stossel might sum it up: Before we give the TSA more of our tax dollars, more authority over GA, allow them to impose more nonsense on the aviation community and the public at large, they should explain.  Because so-called TSA security “experts” are citing this situation for an expansion of TSA powers, they have the burden to make the case in great detail how having all of these added tools and resources at our expense, financial and otherwise, would have stopped this attack.  The reality is that it would not have.

Several sites have posted video of the Glenn Beck keynote from this year’s CPAC (or here).  I went ahead and made an audio podcast out of it so I could take it with me in the car and listen to it.

Definitely one of the best cases for the fundamentals of conservative values and the greatness of America that I have heard in a very long time.

Enjoy it, enjoyers: cpac2010_keynote.rss

Recently, Southwest Airlines came under attack from one individual who was asked to take a later flight because of his size and that there weren’t two seats available for him.  It seemed kind of obvious as things unfolded that this quickly turned into, primarily, a publicity stunt by this individual after a situation that maybe could have been handled a little bit better by SWA employees on the scene.  I don’t know, I wasn’t there.  I trust the flight crews to make decisions about safety.

All of that said, I fly Southwest almost exclusively.  I will continue to fly Southwest.  They have the best fares for my money, don’t charge me to bring my clothes with me, and don’t hassle me with exorbitant fees if I need to cancel or change a flight.  Southwest consistently has one of the best on-time records of all the airlines, and one of the best customer satisfaction ratings.  Southwest is consistently recognized for being an outstanding business.  But none of those things are why Southwest is my airline of choice.

I choose Southwest because of their people.  They are one of those rare companies that doesn’t just pretend to treat customers well in tv ads and CEO speeches.  One small example: Recently, I had a 70-80 minute connection layover at MDW on my way home.  As I stepped off the flight inbound to MDW, I noticed that there was an earlier flight leaving for Columbus in about 15 minutes.  I stopped and asked the gate agent if it would be possible to go home early, but that it was no big deal I was already booked on a later flight.  A quick “let me check on that for you” and two minutes later I was heading home.  No change fees, no rebooking charges, no having to buy a new ticket, no sighs of frustration from an overworked airline employee.  Just, “here you go, have a great flight!”  I got home early, and was able to pick up my dog from the kennel that day instead of waiting until the next day. She got home early and I saved a day’s worth of boarding fees.

Southwest didn’t get to be where they are today by treating “normal” people badly.  That is part of what has gotten other airlines into their current mess, and why Southwest is so popular – actually making money while other carriers hemorrhage capital.  There are no “frills” on a Southwest flight, but I’ve never once had a ticket agent, gate agent, F/A or flight deck crew get snippy with me.  They go beyond that, they’re pleasant people to be around.  After playing security theatre games with the TSA, I would rather be stuck on a plane with people who love their jobs, and love their customers.

Thank you, folks of Southwest, for all that you do for us.