What is the point of the TSA waiver?
Because, after 9-11, 'something' was seen to be needed to be done, whether it made sense, or not.
Therefore, the waiver program is a complete waste of time, and....I am told by those in the know, that it may well be eliminated in one or two years time, once the bugs are worked out of the eAPIS program. We shall see.
Having said this, the eAPIS program brings with it its own set of unique problems...detailed aircraft inspection prior to departure for a foreign destination, among them.