Self-contradicting economic development policies.

Two days after my run-in with the TSA, President Obama went on television to promote foreign tourism to America.

We can’t wait to seize this opportunity. As I’ve said before, I will continue to work with Congress, states, and leaders in the private sector to find ways to move this country forward. But where they can’t act or won’t act, I will. Because we want the world to know that America is open for business. And that’s why I announced steps we’re taking to promote America and make it easier for tourists to come and visit.

Bahahahahahaha. I can only read this as some sort of a sick joke after my visit to the US descended into an absurdist nightmare thanks to Kafkaesque security procedures. I am, in theory, exactly the sort of tourist the US would want to attract - reasonably affluent, interested in seeing more of the country, and from a totally safe part of the world. But my experience with the TSA has virtually ensured that I will not be traveling inside the US if I can possibly avoid it.

Other than that, tourism jobs tend to be low-productivity and low-wage - not a particularly good option for economic development.