Well, if it worked... I'm not sure. In principle the fee part is okay with me, but I don't like that a background check is involved. Regardless, the question is moot. Clear is a bad joke.

I would feel good about a 10% refund to the airline for non-elite security fees and a 30% surcharge in security fees (charged to the airline) for every boarding pass marked "elite", keeping the security fee charged on the purchased ticket identical. i.e. give the airline a small refund for every non-elite BP and charge the airline a small extra fee for every elite. Initial percentages could be set to make the overall effect cost-neutral.

The airlines could then allocate elite screening as they felt fit. Giving nobody elite screening could allow an airline to charge lower airfares. Airlines could charge non-elites a fee for the privilege. Etc. etc.

The numbers are made up, they'd obviously depend on the ratio of elites to non-elites. In the end the difference would be less than a dollar per passenger either way.