While I enjoyed this article, it feels like the author has setup a strawman specifically so he could tear it down. I've never heard anyone say they wish they could have Darth Vader as a PM.

Also, at what point is project considered a "Death Star"? Does the Apollo program fit into this category? We only went to the Moon a handful of times, but I wouldn't consider that to be a waste of resources. Are we to never attempt engineering on a scale that dwarfs our current capability?