Many politicians don’t want a solution but a process they can profit off of. There is no money in a resolution for them. That is why they despise men like Elon Musk.
Thornton Melon (Played by Rodney Dangerfield): Oh, you left out a bunch of stuff.
Dr. Phillip Barbay (Played by Paxton Whitehead): Oh really? Like what for instance?
Thornton Melon: First of all you’re going to have to grease the local politicians for the sudden zoning problems that always come up. Then there’s the kickbacks to the carpenters, and if you plan on using any cement in this building I’m sure the teamsters would like to have a little chat with ya, and that’ll cost ya. Oh and don’t forget a little something for the building inspectors. Then there’s long term costs such as waste disposal. I don’t know if you’re familiar with who runs that business but I assure you it’s not the boyscouts.
Back to School, 1986
I was in college when this Rodeny Dangerfield classic came out, and I thought, “Is construction that screwed up?” Later I asked a few friends in commercial sales and management and to a man they said, “Mike, that was so funny because he is dead on.” Explains a lot on why we can’t get things done anymore, unless you are willing to be the bull in the China shop. Enter, Elon Musk.
If you read any biography, read Elon Musk by Walter Issacson (also read his bio Steve Jobs). Musk is a one-man sledgehammer against red tape, bureaucracy and inertia. He was told he can’t get satellites into orbit at low cost. Done. Make a failing electric car company profitable? Not a problem. NASA has two astronauts stuck in orbit. SpaceX to the rescue. Cut waste in the federal government. Let’s just say it’s a work in progress, but he in a few months did more than anyone in my lifetime.
A boring subject, but fascinating, is his Boring Company. In late 2016, Musk was in Hong Kong and thought out loud to an associate, “Did you ever notice that cities are built in 3-D, but their roads are only built in 2-D?” The idea to build roads under the city came up, Musk called an aide in California (waking him at 200am), briefed him on the concept, and wanted ideas. “I’ll call you in three hours,” Musk warned. From that, Musk’s engineers (he personally invested $100 million in the project) developed a way to bore a roadway underground to provide alternatives to surface transport.[1]
How successful you ask? The Boring Company was awarded the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop project in May 2019. They started construction in November 2019 and finished the 1.4-mile first tunnel on February 14, 2020. The second tunnel was completed in May 2020. In May 2021, the system began testing, and by June 2021 it was in use. Visitors are transported from one convention hall to another in minutes on chauffeured Tesla cars. Plans are underway to expand the system to over 68 miles, including the airport, before the end of the decade.
The time from the Boring Company awarded the contract to moving people under the Las Vegas Convention Center was 25 months. A total of 2.2 miles at just over 50 million. I would call that impressive, another example of a man who gets things done.
Nashville TN is also contracting with the Boring Company for another mobility issue. The Music City Loop, a ten-mile tunnel between downtown and the airport, should reduce the commute to as little as eight minutes. The company’s president Steve Davis admitted the soil (limestone bedrock) will be a challenge to drill in. But if any man is not deterred by challenge, his name is Musk.
Back to the wisdom of Mr. Thornton Melon from the beginning of this post. You want to play, you must pay (politicians, unions, etc.) Both major projects in Las Vegas and Nashville were contracted by the state, and the local mafia, err politicians were not pleased. They expect the gravy train to continue, and they were cut out. So they bring out the usual local suspects to help stir up the “community.”
A pastor of a local nondomination church (always seem to be one available for comment) said she was concerned. “This project has not had the time to do due diligence,” and “warned that the project was on ‘a very dangerous ecological and socially risky path.’” One local state senator was upset. The gentleman lectured a state commission, “It is shameful and it is disrespectful that you all have made this decision without us.” Hate to tell you this pal, they don’t have to. You were given a chance to voice your opinion. The state (Republican) voted otherwise, so you won’t be able to “request” a donation like you’re used to. I suggest you learn to code.
The greatest example of what happens when you let politicians get a hold of a major project. The California High-Speed Rail (CAHSR) was approved by voters in 2008 to connect the state’s major cities. Starting with Los Angeles to San Francisco, then expanding to Sacramento and San Diego. After 17 years, over ten billion spent , one delay after another, the project has not laid any track. Not one city is connected and the total cost is now estimated at over 100 billion.
In comparison, it took 1, 604 days to build the Golden Gate Bridge. Back when California was actually the Golden State.
Let’s not forget the most recent federal cluster waste of money. In the Inflation Production Act of 2022, 7 billion dollars was allocated (i.e., wasted) for 500,000 electric vehicle charges. As of April 2025, 400 were built at the cost of 1.5 billion. That is 3.75 million for a charging station which costs $10,000 each. Again, the experts handed the task and showed themselves completely incompetent. Now look at SpaceX or the Boring Company. Does anyone think for a moment if you contacted with Musk he wouldn’t build more than 500, 000 stations, under budget?
The point of this? We have legitimate issues in this country, and mobility in our urban areas is critical concern. I’m not a believer in the religion of “climate change”, but more efficient movement of people and material is crucial. Local (mostly Democratic) politicians see any project, large or small, as a money-making opportunity. So we will need to go around them to put in things that work. It’s too important to politics as usual.
Michael A. Thiac is a retired Army intelligence officer, with over 23 years experience, including serving in the Republic of Korea, Japan, and the Middle East. He is also a retired police patrol sergeant, with over 22 years’ service, and over ten year’s experience in field training of newly assigned officers. He has been published at The American Thinker, PoliceOne.com, and on his personal blog, A Cop’s Watch.
Opinions expressed are his alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of current or former employers.
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- Isaacson, Walter, Elon Musk (New York, Simon & Schuster, 2023), page 257 ↑
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