The following was written in 1992:

Recently two widely known investigative reporters, Bob Woodward and David Broder published a detailed examination of Vice President Dan Quayle in the "Washington Post". This included a description of his current operations in applying influence on regulatory activities of the Federal Government, using the staff of his Council on Competitiveness.( Bob Woodward and David Broder, "Quayle's Quest: Curb Rules, Leave No Fingerprints", Washington Post January 9, 1992.)Examples are given. One of these is Quayle's extensive and successful effort to spread on into future years the replacement of older, noisy transport aircraft beyond that required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in response to the 1990 Airport Noise and Capacity Act. The FAA planned a 10-year linear phase out of 2000 aircraft. The Quayle plan which prevailed was assumed to extend the phase out to 15 years.

To examine the added infliction of suffering caused by this political action, 1) The amount of suffering caused if the 2000 aircraft had not been retired is estimated first. 2) The amount of suffering, a reduction, caused by the FAA phase-out regulation was next calculated. 3) The amount of suffering caused by the Quayle replacement slow-down planwas then estimated to illustrate the effect of this political decision.

The Measurement of Suffering: Definition

For purposes of quantitative estimation of suffering, the method proposed by R. G.H. Siu is used. The intensity of suffering is measured on a scale from 1 to 9.

Intensity 1: Noticeable. 2: Bothersome. 3: Moderate. 4: Considerable, seeking relief. 5: Midpoint, interfering with daily life. 6: Quite a lot. 7: Miserable, seeking physician or other healer. 8: Excruciating. 9: Unbearable, wanting to die.

According to Siu, when the intensity of pain is multiplied by its duration, the amount of suffering by an individual can be estimated. The unit of suffering, or dukkha, is defined as one person experiencing one intensity increment of suffering for one day. As an example: a person with a moderate toothache for eight hours would have been subjected to one dukkha of suffering, (1 person x intensity 3 x 8/24 day). Another example: a thousand persons with flaring stomach ulcers without medication for a year would have experienced approximately a million dukkhas of suffering. (1000 persons x intensity6.5 x 365 days x 11 hrs suffering/24-hr day).

Assumptions

Linear rate of aircraft replacement Number of people in flight path affected by aircraft takeoff noise (1000) Each takeoff affects 1000 people in the 5-10 mile by I mile takeoff path for 15 seconds Number of takeoffs per aircraft/year (750) Magnitude of extended (slowed-down) replacement plan imposed by Quayle (Fifteen versus original 1 0-year phase-out plan assumed) Initial Conditions (before Legislation) 2000 hi-noise aircraft for 10 years Aircraft takeoffs = 750/yr per aircraft or 7500/decade Fleet (2000) takeoffs 15,000,000/decade Average discomfort level during one takeoff is 3. Duration is 15 seconds for 1000 people. Then 1000 x 15seconds x intensity 3 divided by 24 hours x 3600 seconds/hr equals 0.52 dukkhas per takeoff. Under these intialconditions, therefore: 15,000,000 x 0.52 7,800,000 dukkhas during the 10 years. FAA Original Regulation

The original FAA regulations called for a linear phase out of hi-noise aircraft in 10 years. Based on the above assumptions, only half as many takeoffs will occur and 3,900,000 dukkhas would be produced in the 10-year period.

Final Quayle Stretch

This plan as imposed is assumed to have extended the replacement years from 10 to 15 years. This is an increaseof 50% on the excessive noise experience over the FAA plan, or 5,850,000 dukkhas of discomfort and suffering.

Conclusion

5,850,000 minus 3,900,000 equals 1,950,000 dukkhas added by the Quayle plan over the FAA plan.

Observations

Beyond the scope of this calculation, a cost estimate could be made of the Quayle plan if more was known aboutthe phase out rate, the cost of money needed to buy new aircraft, etc. Then policy makers could properly weigh cost versus suffering.

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Copyright 1996-97 The International Society for Panetics