Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) is pushing a bill that would protect pilots from "agency overreach" by the Federal Aviation Administration, in response to his own experience at the mercy of the FAA after he "scared the crap out of" airport workers last year when he landed his Cessna on a closed runway. "I was never fully appreciative of the feeling of desperation until it happened to me," he said. The bill is expected to be introduced Wednesday and called the "Pilot's Bill Of Rights."

The issue here is that Inhofe was pissed off that he got in trouble as a pilot last fall, and since he couldn't possibly be the one at fault, it must be the fault of stupid government overreach and bureaucracy and whatnot:

Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) "scared the crap out of" airport workers at Cameron County Airport in South Texas last October, when he landed his Cessna on a closed runway. On October 21, 2010, Inhofe landed his plane on a runway that was closed and marked with an X, apparently scattering construction workers and nearly hitting a truck. According to an FAA report, Inhofe noticed the X, but "still elected to land avoiding the men and equipment on the runway." Shortly after the incident, the man supervising the construction, Sidney Boyd, spoke on the phone with the FAA, and said the landing "scared the crap out of us." [...] According to Boyd, Inhofe's plane initially touched down, and then "sky hopped" over six vehicles and personnel working on the runway, before landing for good.

Classic. Senator James Inhofe (R-Entitlement) lands his small plane on a clearly-marked closed airport runway, in the process bunny hopping the plane over airport vehicles and workers on that runway to avoid killing them and himself during his, let's call it "landing." The workers are furious. The FAA investigates and makes him attend a "remedial training" program (no word on whether he also had to take a breathalyzer test ... just sayin'.)

So let's say you're a pissy, ultraconservative Republican senator and this happens to you. What do you do? Why, you introduce legislation to stop "overreach" by the mean regulators who made you feel "desperation" after you nearly killed some poor airport workers repairing a closed runway.

Sense of being inherently better than other folks? Check. Refusal to admit own stupid mistakes, instead blaming government? Check. Using your government power to solve your own personal problems, rather than worrying about anyone else's? Check!

Sen. Inhofe, your latest hissyfit is now cleared for takeoff!