Former Rep. Ron Paul of Texas says Americans would be better off if Congress transferred the few constitutional functions performed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to other parts of the government and then shut the rest down, saying the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is ineffective at stopping terrorists but “very effective” at harassing innocent Americans.

“More terrorist attacks have been thwarted by airline passengers than by the TSA!” Mr. Paul, a past presidential candidate, wrote in his weekly column.

He relayed the story of Lucy Forck, a 3-year-old who he says was subject to an intrusive screening and had her stuffed animal taken away, and a Campaign for Liberty staffer who was forced to throw away a jar of Nutella.

“I am sure all airline passengers feel safe knowing that TSA is protecting them from sandwich spreads,” he wrote.

“Ending the TSA would return responsibility for airline security to airports and airlines,” he wrote. “Private businesses have a greater incentive than a government bureaucracy to ensure their customers’ safety. Those conservatives who think this is a radical idea should try to think of one area where they trust government bureaucrats to do a better job than private business owners.”  http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/mar/2/ron-paul-more-terrorist-attacks-have-been-thwarted/