As others have mentioned, other countries, most notably, China, Russia and India will most likely pass us on the way to Mars simply because those countries continue to make investments in cultivating scientific and engineering talent in college, while we just pop out community organizers.
Political Correctness killed the Soviet Union, it has held China down, and it will be the death of us too. Nothing to admire about those country’s systems. The only thought I have is of the colossal grandiosity that made us think it wouldn’t happen here too.
Apres moi, le deluge.