[PostOnce]

How much do you think it costs to build a system that affects the finances of 300 million people? If highly-paid professional accountants, lawyers, and programmers meet to discuss if and how this system could be built, it's going to cost some money. This is not a 20 minute "yup we can throw up a React app next weekend" meeting.

Building the thing is going to cost a hell of a lot more than 15 million dollars, it's not a 3 man startup android app. It has to be reliable with high uptime, it has to cope with enormous loads on April 15, it has to be accurate and have no potential for data loss, and it has to be Made in America, no outsourcing for various reasons.

Many smaller nations have had boondoggle affairs with MUCH smaller systems.