In what sense is it "their own money"? The programmers at a private enterprise are not doing anything with "their own money" besides collecting a salary. The sa

In what sense is it "their own money"? The programmers at a private enterprise are not doing anything with "their own money" besides collecting a salary. The same detachment from the outcome that happens in government work can happen in businesses, and it does all the time. The people at the top of a business software product might be stockholders, so they could have some risk. The people at the top of a government project also understand that it will be their photo in the media along with the public outrage. And both understand that the consequences - whether public anger or a dip in the stock price - are temporary and will go away in a few weeks.