That's the problem, it wasn't presented to the American people right. It should have been packaged as "We're going to SMASH them there atoms SO HARD that we'll tear reality itself a new asshole!" Once in a while, they could let the MythBusters use it.

My wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law went through the legal immigration process and none of them felt that they were ill-treated. Yes, the wait is long, but every bureaucracy involves waiting. You got a bad draw I guess.

Everyone is still judging you even if you don't have a nice car and nice clothes. They'll try to stiff you too, but for different reasons.

Oops - I meant "portable", not "portal".

Luxury. We used to tape record songs from the radio using hand me down portal tape recorders. If the DJ spoke to early or someone made a noise, the song was ruined!

And some very surprised squirrels.

The Vulcan High Council? Oh, you mean a real government. Then, uh, no.

And whether or not you want (or are required to have) water, electricity, gas, and sewage disposal.

That may be handy for a block of 25 year old Parmigiano-Reggiano. Then again, I already have a chain saw, so I might try that instead.

How many times will you hear, "The cloud is down!"?

You can never be too diligent Citizen! Now, where's my new Agency's budget? I have some conferences in Las Vegas to go to.

I thought he was a meat popsicle.

The point I was making is that in order for commercial space flight to be successful, it has to be as safe as reasonably possible.
BTW, I spent a year in Iraq and had didn't leave my job after my COB was rocketed and mortared (other contractors did), so I think I've adequately proven my bravery.

Isn't that the best kind of maniac? Seriously, it takes someone of Herculean audacity to break into an entrenched market. SpaceX doesn't have hundreds of retired, formerly high-ranking military officers and former civilian employees of NASA to provide contacts, business intelligence, and influence. They may have lobbyists and "influence" over politicians, but definitely not to the same degree as the names you mentioned.

Would you be willing to take a commercial air flight if the failure rate was 25%? 15%? 5%? How many pilots would fly with those failure rates? How many companies would send expensive cargoes with those failure rates?

Yes, they'll have a lot of volunteers, but how many of those volunteers will have the necessary physical capabilities and specialized skills? Those that do will be too valuable to risk unnecessarily. Besides, where can we put a colony? There simply isn't anyplace that compelling.