The latest Tea Party/Libertarian/Anarchist whine is about the TSA conducting security checks of attendees at a Paul Ryan political event in Florida last weekend.
I never cease to be amazed at the organized paranoia of these people. Just for information, Secret Service, FBI and state and local authorities have been cooperating for over a century in providing security for appearances by presidential and vice presidential candidates. And for presidents. Example: April 14 2005 season's opener in DC of the Washington Nationals. I was there. But I didn't get to see George W. Bush throw out the first ball. Not enough TSA agents and the equipment wasn't reliable. It was the third or fourth inning before I took my seat.
So what was government like when we had a real war?
January 1942: automobile production ended for the duration. Sale of rubber tires to civilians ended. Anyone with more than five tires had to turn in the extras. Steel, copper, and aluminum were placed under wartime controls;
February: Daylight savings time (to conserve energy), rationing of canned meat and fish;
March: Fresh meat, butter and cheese rationed; two ration books issued to every man, woman and child - blue for two pounds of canned fruit and vegetables per month, red for 28 ounces of meat and 4 ounces of cheese per month; shield seaward facing lights within 12 miles of the coast; marriage increased 300% over 1941 (some in expectation of separation, some to avoid the draft); GM produced 28,728 Browning machine guns;
April: Price Control Act - 60% of foods maximum price set at level in March;
May: Iron, more steel, zinc under wartime controls; War Ration Book One issued - the sugar book; gasoline rationing - 2 1/2 gallons per month sugar rationed 1/2 lb. per month; Meat 7 lb., butter, coffee 1 lb. per month; civilian production banned on 136 items, including refrigerators, vacuums, vending machines, small appliances;
June: V-mail to the troops (microfilm);
July: milk, ice and bread delivery switch to horse-drawn wagons; metal products banned;
August: German U-boats sink a ship every four hours;
September: Fair Employment Commission reports 50% of all defense jobs remain closed to Negroes;
October: Meatless Tuesday initiated; draft age lowered to 18;
November: War Labor Board allows employers to raise pay for women 20 cents per hour if necessary to get employees (average 40% less than men); coffee rationing one cup per day;
December: Gasoline rationing with A, B, C stickers 4 gallons per month.
All prices were controlled by the Office of Price Administration.
Rationing ended in 1946.
Popular songs in 1942 include: "Praise the Lord and Pass The Ammunition," based on an incident aboard USS New Orleans during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
No one doubted we were all in the war together.
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