While I agree this is a complete waste of time, the normal objections to this process (i.e. TSA mission creep, now checking for ID validity, etc) miss the entire point.

The absurdity of this process is that whether or not the ID is fake or not, it is not matched against any watchlist for terrorists. Unless the TSA (and in Denver, they are not TSA but a private company- I just noticed this going through today) has some super secret mini-compact computer hidden in their shoes, when they look at the ID, my mug, and the boarding pass, what does it tell them? NOTHING.

No database check, no matching, no nothing. Outrageous.