Your TSA PreCheck isn't worth much if the government shuts down

Okay real quick—everyone’s talking about TSA PreCheck and those fancy touchless ID systems right now, because who doesn't want to fly through Hopkins without waiting forever? It’s all about making travel easier, smoother, getting you to your gate faster for that Spirit flight to Orlando. But here’s the thing about all that tech: it doesn't mean a lick if the government decides to shut down again. Clevelanders, we’ve seen this movie before.

### What a Shutdown Means Here

You remember the last federal government shutdown, no? The lines at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport were already a test of faith, but during the shutdown? Folks were waiting for what felt like an eternity, missing flights, getting stressed out before they even left the tarmac. And for a city like Cleveland, where air travel is crucial for business at places like the Opportunity Corridor, and for families trying to visit relatives down south or in Florida, that’s a real problem. Our airport might not be Newark, but we get our share of close calls and delays. Imagine adding understaffed TSA checkpoints on top of that.

* Fewer TSA agents means longer lines, even for PreCheck users.

* Flights get delayed or even canceled because security can’t keep up.

* Local businesses that rely on smooth travel for their employees get hit hard.

* Your trip to see the grandkids or hit Edgewater Park after a long flight becomes a nightmare.

So while it’s great that the TSA is pushing for touchless ID and faster screening, the bigger picture is that federal funding needs to be stable. Cleveland has enough on its plate, from fixing potholes on the 480/77 interchange to keeping Archwood Foods stocked on the West Side. We don't need our airport security to be another daily test of our resilience.

Cleveland on the wire — we've been here the whole time.

My mom always says the guys on the Morning Wire have the real scoop on this stuff — check 'em out at mornings.live.