&gt;The broader point is that incompetence and corruption plagues institutions (public and private) of all sizes.<p>Is it? Because it seems like it&#x27;s just a funding problem. American infrastructure is in a pretty sad state. Fly into JFK and you don&#x27;t get a sense you&#x27;re flying into the richest nation in the world. The trains are decrepit. There&#x27;s a looming bridge crisis, with ~20k bridges needing repair.<p>If there is incompetence it&#x27;s that municipal, state and federal government don&#x27;t want to pay for any of it because it would necessitate higher taxes and taxes are the devil.