I'm with you - QA should be a double check, a fall-back; if you haven't checked, how is that going to be possible? The risk with coders leaning on QA is that they've outsourced their conscience; and the only people really testing and checking the code don't know it very well. Not good.

FWIW, I think dropping QA for periods to shock those who are starting to lean on it is a good idea; but it should still be there most of the time.