Originally Posted by Bart
Why not take some personal responsibility for your actions? You should know by now that the security lines will be long during certain times of the travel day. Why can you not plan ahead? Ever hear of time management?
As for confiscation, there's a difference between a wallet that's left on the sidewalk and an item that is intentionally turned over to an agent of the government for final disposition. When you turn a prohibited item over to a screener, your actions signify your intent to surrender responsibility for the item by transfering that responsibility to the government (TSA).
I find it utterly amazing how agents of the government will consistently go out of their way to tell people what their actions mean rather than asking people what their actions mean. When I hand something to someone it does not mean that I am "signifying me intent to transfer responsibility." If you want to know what I intend, ask me. This sort of "coded language" of actions and "implied consent" is nothing more than a tool of coercion.