Rick Perry - TSA
CNN National Security Debate
On November 22, 2011 Governor Perry participated in a debate on CNN focusing on national security. He was asked about the TSA and stated that he believed that it should be handled privately.
BLITZER: Governor Perry...
(APPLAUSE)
... you proposed legislation that would criminalize these TSA pat-downs under certain circumstances.
PERRY: Right.
BLITZER: Explain what you have in mind.
PERRY: Well, here's what I would do with the TSA; I would privatize it as soon as I could and get rid of those unions.
(APPLAUSE)
It's working in Denver. They have a program where they're privatizing it. And the airlines and other private-sector groups work together to do the security in our airports. And it makes abundant good sense.
And I agree with most of my colleagues here on the stage when we talk about the Patriot Act. And we need to keep it in place. We need to have -- strengthen it if that's what's required, to update it with new technologies as they come along, Newt.
But here's the other issue that I think we've really failed at, and that is in our ability to collect intelligence around the world. And this administration in particular has been an absolute failure when it comes to expending the dollars and supporting the CIA and the military intelligence around the world, to be able to draw in that intelligence that is going to truly be able to allow us to keep the next terrorist attack from happening on American soil.