I was out in several of our nation’s major airports again this past week, and was once again struck by just how pathetic TSA’s so-called security procedures are. I really think that it’s time for Americans to acknowledge the massive failure that is the TSA and demand that we stop wasting taxpayer dollars on such an ineffective bureaucracy. Bruce Schneier is spot-on: The TSA and its procedures are strictly security theater, put in place to lull the traveling public into believing that their security is being somehow improved.

Consider that long line you stood in at the TSA checkpoint, waiting to show a TSA agent your photo ID and boarding pass. It seems very official, with badges and magnifying glasses and ultraviolet lights. We can take comfort that any of the million-plus individuals on the governments No Fly list would be stopped dead in their tracks by such scrutiny.

In reality, it is trivial to board a plane if you are on the No Fly list. Think about it. The agent at the checkpoint is relying on an ID and a document that you yourself hand to them. Also, what is being checked? Is your name being entered into a terminal to see if it matches a name on the list of know or suspected terrorists? Is there a paper copy? Has the agent memorized the million names on the list?

No, what’s being so diligently checked is whether the name on the ID matches the name on a piece of paper that you have produced. Same number of letters? Spelled the same, or at least close? You’re good to go. That TSA agent, front line defender of our flying safety, is little more than a uniformed elementary teacher checking spelling.

There’s nothing complicated about boarding a plane if you are on the No Fly list. Simply pick up a prepaid debit card at your local convenience store (while you are there you might as well pay cash for a prepaid cell phone in case you need to make an untraceable phone call). Go home, open up a browser, and purchase a ticket using your debit card. Use a name that you know isn’t on the list. When the day comes to fly, check in online and print the boarding pass with the false name on it. While you’re there, save the page…it’s a PDF file. Open the PDF file with Acrobat and edit the name on the boarding pass to match the one on your real ID. Print the second pass and head for the airport.

At the airport, hand your real ID and the matching boarding pass to the TSA agent. As long as you didn’t typo your own name, you’ll walk right through.

At the gate, hand the gate agent the boarding pass with the false name on it. They check the name against ticketed passengers. It matches, so you are free to get on the plane.

Incidentally, if you aren’t flying but just want to meet someone at the gate, or maybe shop at the duty free store, you can print your own boarding pass for any flight that you wish and just walk through the TSA security with it using the same technique.

This ridiculous system is costing taxpayers billions of dollars every year. Although it has its critics, the system in place in Israel seems to be much more effective and much less intrusive. It’s real security, not security theater. Tell your congressional representative that you are tired of wasting money and ask for a thorough review of the TSA and its ineffective policies and procedures. If you don’t know who your representatives are, visit congress.org to find out.