I've heard all the lame excuses for this appalling misuse of my tax dollars. (One fellow even told me that I must not fly enough, because I would KNOW that those weren't TSA personnel? Duh, if only. And, as if I can't read a badge on a uniform!) The special treatment bothers me no end. Fine, pay for the extra roomy seat on the airplane and the "free" cocktails and food--but don't think that this entitles you to be whisked through security, too!
And, this will make the priviledged elite come up with all kinds of retorts about why they deserve this. But it's nonsense.