Too many topics, too little time

Papers, Please! » Blog Archive » “Mother, may I?”:
Should you have to ask for permission from the government before you are allowed to get on a plane or cruise ship?
The Department of Homeland Security has proposed that airlines and cruise ships be required to get individual permission (”clearance”) from the DHS for each individual passenger on all flights to, from, or via the U.S. Unless the answer is “Yes” — if the answer is “no” or “maybe”, or if the DHS doesn’t answer at all — the airline wouldn’t be allowed to give you a boarding pass, or let you or your luggage on the plane or ship.

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Gahhhh! another overzealous program of fictional protections. People do not, should not, need permission to leave the country. This goes beyond the sillyness problem of security theater in airports and elsewhere and drives right down into our fundamental capacity to be citizens.