It's not a matter of using a specific sticker; it's a matter of marking a bag that has been cleared. I think you'd agree that there needs to be a mechanism in place to identify bags that have already been cleared as a double-check method to prevent uncleared bags from mistakenly being placed on board. Shouldn't happen, but why take chances? I see the use of stickers as a smart, inefficient method. However, I don't agree that using the fancy TSA holographic stickers as a standard. It makes no difference to you as the customer whether a green, red or yellow dot with the letters TSA stamped across are used. All that matters is that the bag handlers recognize that a bag has been cleared before they load it on the plane. Should they come across one that doesn't have one of these distinctive markings, then they need to notify an airline ramp supervisor to have the matter handled.

I don't think using stickers is a waste of money. I do think that using these holographic stickers is. However, it is the nature of government bureaucracies to make everything appear official, uniform and standard in appearance.