I agree it's really annoying, but it's the "right" thing to do. It's not the government's job to enforce the lines (everyone pays the same security fee, regardless of airline status). The whole thing with airline employees/contractors checking IDs was to establish the fiction of the TSA not being in control of the lines, thereby allowing the elite lines to continue.

Of course getting rid of the elite lines is really a scam to push "Clear"; it has nothing to do with doing the right thing. Let's hope that fails. Maybe if everyone is in the same boat, including senators, congressmen, airline executives, etc., there will be more pressure to shorten the lines for everybody.

On the other hand, I shouldn't be so idealistic. Everyone will have to pay for Clear and the lines for Clear will be the same as lines now. People w/o Clear will be really badly off, just like people without EZ-pass in the Northeast US.