On a recent intercontinental flight, I learned something intriguing from one of the flight attendants. At the back of the plane, as most passengers dozed, she told me that an increasing number of passengers over the years have requested early boarding because of limited mobility. Some arrive at the departure gate in airport wheelchairs. Others need assistance walking down the jetway.

After the plane lands, something remarkable happens. Many of those same passengers suddenly seem far more mobile, briskly making their way off the plane and through the terminal with little or no assistance. The flight attendant jokingly called the phenomenon "The miracle of landing."

We both laughed because the story rang true. I've witnessed it myself. While some passengers undoubtedly have legitimate medical conditions, in practice the ruse illustrates a timeless lesson: A system, program, or policy will be exploited when little or no penalty is apparent for taking advantage of the system. That observation extends well beyond airline travel.

Running Roughshod Over Uncle Sam

Consider government benefit programs. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Congress's independent watchdog, estimates that fraud costs the federal government between $233 billion and $521 billion every year – serious money, enough to fund major federal agencies or build thousands of schools, highways, or........

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