Alaska Bill Would Criminalize Invasive TSA Pat Downs

[HappySqurriel]

SamuelRSmith said:

SvennoJ said:
It's about time somebody started to take our rights and dignity back that have been so readily discarded in the name of terrorism.

Well, loads of people try. The problem is that the two best ways of controlling the Feds are the States and the Supreme Court. The States are often blackmailed (cut your funding, impose regulations that harm your best industries, or in the case above - impose a NO-FLY-ZONE) into submission. Historically, it's mainly the Supreme Court that has kept Government in check.. and the Feds know this, so they do everything they can to stop cases going through to the courts. Dropping cases, offering settlements, etc.

I remember watching Andrew Napolitano talk about a case where the FBI had arrested two people for infringing the Patriot Act. When the case came to court, the Judge basically turned around to the FBI and said "do you really want to do this? I'm about to declare the Patriot Act unconstitutional", couple days later the FBI have mysteriously dropped the case. 

One thing that I have never really understood is why can't the constitutionality of a bill be challenged by anyone?

It would seem to me that any citizen, or group of citizens, whould be able to challenge constitutionality of any municipal, state or federal law passed regardless of whether they have been charged with breaking it.