The Expense of Infrastructure in the US

[TreasonousBastard]

4. There are vast hidden costs here...

rights of way, land acquisitions, interminable lawsuits...

But, some costs are elusive. Years ago, Continental Airlines built a catering facility at their Newark hub. It was the identical size and design as the one in Houston, but cost 5 or 6 times as much. Nobody talked much about it, but everybody pretty much knew where the extra money went. Union County was pretty much under the absolute control of its Democratic party leader (who was also a state Senator and a partner in one of the largest law firms in the state) and Essex county was under the firm hand of the Mayor of Newark, also Democratic County leader and a state Senator. Joisey unions? We shared an office with one of them for a while and were fascinated that they had no shame (or fear) at all letting us listen in to some of their conversations.

It was just understood that any large project in New Jersey had its additional costs to be spread around to friends of the bosses. I'm not sure, but I think I remember the Mayor of Elizabeth owning the cement company that did a lot of work at Newark. He was always one step ahead of the sheriff until the sheriff was told to back off.

China just doesn't have our comfort level with corruption-- take a bribe over there and you might be executed after a very short trial. But, they're working it out.