I disagree with the author regarding their complains surrounding rich people going through life easier. Unfortunately that will always be possible and complaining about it muddied this article

However, I agree with the author that a private company should not be getting between me and my government. I am okay with TSA as long as it is my government making sure airports are safe. I am fine with paying more for expedited passports because that is a deal between me and my government. I am fine with expedited boarding because that never involved my government and it never should.

This is a situation, like the author said, that is similar to the intuit catastrophe. Paying CLEAR is equivalent (in the long term) to ensuring that no forward progress is made on simplifying and expediting airport security.