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Thursday, April 03, 2008

FAA Inspections and a Role for Government

Today, a House hearing spotlighted recent lapses in regulatory oversight of airlines. "Federal Aviation Administration inspectors and managers told lawmakers Thursday that the agency's top officials endangered passenger safety by being too cozy with the airlines they oversee," according to CQ.com.

The House Transportation Committee scheduled the hearing after an audit showed three unnamed airlines missed inspection deadlines. Witnesses included one of two FAA inspectors who blew the whistle when their bosses ignored safety concerns they raised about Southwest jets. (See the Project on Government Oversight blog for more.)

Rigorous aircraft inspection is critical to the safety of millions of passengers. Aircraft safety is one area where the American public seems to unequivocally accept the need for our federal government to play a strong role and intervene when necessary.

Reg•Watch believes Americans should start expecting government to play a similarly strong role in the areas of environmental protection, food and drug safety, and on other issues that impact us everyday, but over which we have little control.

On last night's Colbert Report, during a segment on FAA inspections, Stephen Colbert poked fun at those who would argue against any role for government: "These FAA inspectors get paid to ruin our vacations. If I want to fly cheap on a plane that might not have all the 'parts,' that's my choice. I say let the free market decide which wires are necessary to deploy wheels for landings."

Colbert's point sounds ridiculous in the context of aircraft safety, but it is the same argument anti-government lobbyists use to counter pollution controls, import inspection programs, worker safety rules, and other protections that would benefit the health and welfare of Americans.