You're looking at this backwards. Current pilots love the certification process, it is a barrier to entry and a way to achieve seniority faster.

See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01... for the story about how the pilots union hated the retirement age limit until a bunch of younger pilots started joining the union. All of a sudden the upstarts had the majority vote and lo and behold, the age limits are imposed.

Certification of pilots is not imposed out of a desire to assure safety; it's because the lawmakers are lobbied by the pilots themselves.

Journalists would also love to be licensed, that way that upstart rapscallion Drudge and those dastardly blogs would stop eating into their business.

Ask Richard Jewell if misguided/malicious journalists matter.