Originally Posted by Number 10 GI (Post 1774363)

In Nashville, TN there are 3 major interstates the run through town, I24, I65 and I40, the traffic is horrible. Almost 20 years ago the state started making plans to build a loop around the city to get the interstate travel out of the bottleneck in the city. TDOT did a great job of planning a route that was the most economical to develop the loop. Well the state legislators and county mayors wanted the loop to pass through their district so as to open up economic development for these smaller counties. By the time they got done deciding where the loop needed to go to satisfy the legislators it wasn't a loop any longer, it looked like a bunch of dog legs joined together which naturally increased the cost of building it and significantly delayed and increased the time to build it. The loop still isn't completed and likely won't be for another couple decades.

Originally Posted by EviesGP (Post 1774464)

To be more accurate(IMO), this post is more about private sector vs govt managed program(s). And Windguy pretty much nailed it. But to add to that, he was certainly correct about the military industrial complex. But, I also fault Congress(et al) on that one. The military, like many other govt entities, merely spends whatever they're given, without alot of regard to savings. Except, when they realize they need to work within theirs means, which is why the military has been trying to save money by closing/consolidating bases(i.e. BRAC). Many of those bases were built during the early/mid 1900s, and are totally un-needed. But, Congress won't let them, as it will hurt their home districts and jobs! Because, that's what it's all about. And, as a retired Fed Civ Service(and military), I can tell you first hand, how inefficient it gets when govt steps in. The salaries and benefits are quite generous(as were mine). I did everything I could to earn my way, but I witnessed people constantly leaving for better fed jobs("downtown"), which paid even more, with very little responsibility. There were and are GREAT people working for the govt. But, in comparison to private sector, which has to constantly look at the bottom dollar, the efficiencies just don't compare. Regardless, there is/always will be a role that must be ran by the govt. And, well, nothing will get resolved here on ToTV, either. Cheers!

Originally Posted by JoMar (Post 1775889)

Actually as the OP, this was about SpaceX vs NASA....not about the post office, military bases or other government agencies. Hijacking is the usual here so it wasn't unexpected.