[af_vet_rr]

Nasa is a government agency, after all.

So is the Fbi, Cia, Dhs, Atf, Dod, etc. (sorry, couldn't resist).

Jokes aside, I do think we need to spread out, and Mars is a good start. For the last several decades, we've played the part of settlers (and we settle for just about anything these days), when once upon a time, we were pioneers. Every buck spent on a NASA project is a buck not spent on some liberal project, and while the government is way too big, and is still growing (and showing no signs of slowing), I can easily get behind a NASA project to put people on Mars.

[Henry Lane]

NASA can probably beat the free market in getting a handful of people to Mars, but for mass colonizition, it will take a market. The government could help with tax incentives and establishing property rights in space, e.g., for precious metals on asteroids.