Why do they wait for a disaster to upgrade security?

There never would have been a 9/11 if there had been reasonable security at the airports that day, or even good locks on the cockpit door. Now we have all these new emergency regulations AFTER there's evidence of a plot that an average high school student taking AP Chem could have come up with. Why is it that the criminals seem to have better imaginations than the people paid to protect us?

You just want things done before they happen? But even if you do something before something happens, something could still happen because those who want to do something will be creative and use their imaginations to get around the things already done.

The funny part is that both of those roads lead to the same destination. We have more people, which means more opportunity for disorder, and that can't be allowed to happen. Humans have done everything in their power to decrease disorder for thousands of years. You do nothing, something happens, you increase security. You increase security before something happens, something does or doesn't happen, and you've already increased security, but will increase it further if something were to happen even after you've increased security.

Should be a fun 21st century.

After the disaster or foiled plot, we get crazy security, like taking off our shoes in airports. It makes more sense to me to think things through ahead of time and institute reasonable precautions. I for one, am not thrilled at the idea of anyone having flammables on board an airplane. That's just a case of simple safety, like not smoking around oxygen tanks. Forcing everyone to carry only passports and wallets in a plastic bag seems silly overreaction. (Esp as in this case where supposedly all the conspirators are under arrest!) Banning weapons seems reasonable. Banning nail clippers is a little overboard. Pocket knives and Leatherman tools are up for discussion.

.There is no proactive thinking in this administration.