But events - even those with a comic element like the McKinley episode - continue to demonstrate what Senator Frank Lautenberg called the almost incomprehensible magnitude of trying to secure a US transport network which includes 3.9 million miles of roads, 600, 000 bridges, 361 ports and more than 5, 000 public-use airports.

BBC: NEWS | Americas | US stowaway reveals security holes

As it is, the government seems hesitant even to privatise the earnings-related element of the state pension.

ECONOMIST: From Beveridge to Blair

The decision to become an independent contractor can be a brave and wise move, but the ability to buy an inexpensive health plan, even with a pre-existing condition, is a key element to a successful freelance life.

FORBES: How Health Insurance Premiums Drag Down the Freelance Economy